


Not Her

by dieFabuliererin



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Ahsoka Tano Needs a Hug, Ahsoka Tano-centric, Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Blood and Violence, Brutal Murder, Dark Anakin Skywalker, Deception, Episode: s04e15 Deception, Episode: s04e16 Friends and Enemies, Episode: s04e17 The Box, Episode: s04e18 Crisis on Naboo, Episode: s05e02 A War on Two Fronts, Episode: s05e03 Front Runners, Established Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, F/M, Forgiveness, Guilt, Human Disaster Anakin Skywalker, Hurt, Hurt Obi-Wan Kenobi, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Injury, Injury Recovery, Jedi, Jedi Ahsoka Tano, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, Major Character Injury, Master & Padawan Relationship(s), Medical Trauma, Minor CT-7567 | Rex/Ahsoka Tano, Minor Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, Murder, Near Death Experiences, Obi-Wan Kenobi is a Mess, POV Ahsoka Tano, POV Anakin Skywalker, POV Obi-Wan Kenobi, Permanent Injury, Planet Onderon (Star Wars), Post-Episode: s04e15 Deception, Protective Anakin Skywalker, Protective Padmé Amidala, Threats of Violence, Trauma, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:07:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 76,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24930532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dieFabuliererin/pseuds/dieFabuliererin
Summary: A white-hot warning flashes through the Force, and Ahsoka jumps to the rooftop without hesitating. Whatever Obi-Wan's reason for not defending himself, she can't allow the sniper to kill him. She wouldn't be able to live with herself.[Or: An alternate version of the 'Deception' arc in which Ahsoka is shot by Rako Hardeen]
Relationships: Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 271
Kudos: 747
Collections: Ahsoka Tano Fanfiction





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N: This work was revised on 13/11/2020 - Comments and reviews may not align.**
> 
> **Trigger warning (T/W): Strong language, graphic injuries and dark themes of regret and guilt. All other trigger warnings will be in bold at the start of chapters. Please take care whilst reading.**
> 
> **Thanks for all the support, and I hope you enjoy!**

"This is impressive, Padawan," Master Yung says, examining Ahsoka's work with a sceptical eye, "I had much lower expectations from you."

Ahsoka forces a smile, "Thank you, Master."

Right now, giving her physics teacher an attitude won't get her out of this evening class for 'struggling students' any faster.

Actually, the fastest way to get out of this class is probably to just _do the work_ , but Ahsoka can't get her head around all these numbers and equations the way R2 can. Like Anakin, she's much better at practical work. Sitting around and thinking has never been her thing.

Master Yung looks up from her work with a smug smile, "I haven't even _taught_ you about Quantum Electrodynamics yet."

Busted: _thanks, R2_.

Ahsoka quickly comes up with a lie- which isn't hard considering Anakin's her teacher. "I researched it, Master."

"Really? _Ahsoka Tano_ researched something?" Master Yung looks amused, and she _definitely_ doesn't believe her.

Someone knocks on the classroom door and Ahsoka sags with relief when she sees Anakin poking his head through. Master Yung frowns, "Knight Skywalker, what are you doing here?"

"I've come to collect my Padawan, Master." He says, and Ahsoka can tell he's trying to keep a straight face, "It's an emergency. Ahsoka, get your things."

Ahsoka jumps up before Master Yung can reply, giving her teacher a quick smile before jogging out of the room. Anakin throws her a discreet wink as he holds the door open for her.

"Thanks for the save." She says once they're in the corridor, "What's the situation?"

Ahsoka's favourite part of leave is the occasional adventure she and Anakin get to go on, usually in the lower levels of Coruscant, working alongside Commander Fox and his men.

"Dinner." Anakin replies, casually strolling along.

"Dinner?" She frowns, "We're going out? I thought you were cooking tonight..." she halts in her tracks, " _please_ , tell me you didn't set the kitchen on fire again."

"That was _one_ time." Anakin says, takes her bicep to tug her along, "We're going out because your Grandmaster is also on leave and we _all_ deserve some _decent_ food."

"Master Obi-Wan's here?" She runs to catch up with him excitedly, "I thought he was on a campaign for the next month."

"The Council called him back yesterday." Anakin says as they reach the landing platform. "Something about the Chancellor's upcoming trip to Naboo."

Ahsoka easily spots his speeder, and to her delight, the great Negotiator is sat in the passenger seat. Ahsoka feels warmth spread through her chest when Obi-Wan raises a hand to give her a little wave, which she shyly returns.

"I'm terribly sorry to pull you from your class, Ahsoka." Obi-Wan says whilst she climbs into the backseat. "I'm afraid I'm on a rather tight schedule this evening."

"She was glad to leave that classroom anyways." Anakin teases, pulling the speeder out of the bay and into a lane of traffic. "We've all been working hard lately. A nice, lazy evening is well overdue."

Technically, they should only eat out for special occasions, but this is one of the few times that all three Jedi have leave on Coruscant, so Ahsoka isn't complaining about the quality time she gets to spend with her Masters.

"Really, Anakin? _This_ place?" Obi-Wan looks discouraged as they enter the restaurant- the same one where Anakin and Ahsoka always go when they're on Coruscant.

"Master, you haven't _lived_ until you've tried this place's pulled nuna!" Anakin exclaims, ushering them inside. Ahsoka inhales deeply, relishes in the scent of Corellian barbeque.

The first time she came here with Anakin, she was practically a youngling, still exhausted from Teth. Now, she's someone different. No longer naïve, she knows the price of war, and the clones call her 'Commander' because they respect her, not because she's a Jedi.

Anakin's even hinting that she needs to start preparing for her trials.

Obi-Wan frowns at her state of complete adoration, "The Order shuns the desire to overindulge in rich food, Ahsoka."

"She's fine," Anakin defends her quickly, "The Order _also_ shuns the refusal of food."

Obi-Wan rolls his eyes at Anakin's attempt to twist his words. Ahsoka grins, watching their banter. The worsening war has separated the three Jedi a lot, so seeing her Masters interact so fluently- even after time apart- gives her so much hope for the future. She can't wait for the war to be over so she can be a teenager again.

They walk through the bustling restaurant to a circular booth where her two Masters sandwich Ahsoka between them because Obi-Wan thinks this restaurant is 'a zoo for lowlifes.'

Honestly, she wonders how he has been living on Coruscant three times longer than she has, but still thinks everyone is a criminal.

They're the loudest party in the restaurant, and it's a good thing their lightsabers are well-hidden or else the Order would have its name smeared across the _HoloNet_ if they saw three famous Jedi acting like a _normal_ group of friends in a shabby restaurant.

Oddly, Obi-Wan remains fairly quiet throughout their meal, only occasionally putting his cutlery down to input into the conversation. Ahsoka brushes it off as stress; he probably has a million things on his mind. The Chancellor's upcoming trip to Naboo surely can't be helping.

It's not like Anakin and Ahsoka let anyone get a word into their conversations anyways. Other patrons in the restaurant keep giving them funny looks whenever they interrupt each other to tell their own anecdote or give their opinion. It's normal though, for them.

"I'm absolutely stuffed." Anakin groans, leaning back to unclasp his belt. He sighs in satisfaction as he can finally exhale.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan exclaims, mortified.

Ahsoka giggles, "Anakin has a food baby."

Everyone seems to think Anakin is in top shape- especially civilian teenage girls- but Ahsoka knows the man can eat like an animal when he wants to.

"I suppose you'll skip dessert?" Obi-Wan asks, acting like their parent again. She supposes the 'dad' voice works on them because Anakin never met his father, and she doesn't have any clear memories of her own. "I don't think you have room."

Anakin scoffs, "There's _always_ room for dessert, Master. What do we say, Snips?"

She takes her cue, "Dessert doesn't go to the stomach; it goes to the heart."

"Of course, it does." Obi-Wan sighs, "Very well, then. Order _more_ food if you must."

Their dessert comes, and whilst Anakin devours his like a savage, Ahsoka takes her time. She wants to enjoy every second of this evening. She can't explain the warmth she feels from sitting in-between her two Masters, bathing in their undivided attention, even if Obi-Wan's smile doesn't quite reach his eyes.

"What's on your mind, Snips?" Anakin asks, swooping his fork to steal some of her cake.

"Hey!" She reaches out, but he's already eaten the sweet sponge and is now grinning at her. He's downright evil sometimes. "I was just thinking we should go out for dinner more often, but now I'm not so sure."

"Eat up, young one." Obi-Wan says tightly, and when Ahsoka looks over at him, she notices one of his knees is shaking.

Weird.

"Got somewhere to be, old man?" Anakin asks, also catching on that's something's not quite right.

"No," comes the curt reply, "just aware there's a lot of work waiting for me at the Temple."

Ahsoka snorts, "Tell me about it. The war will be over by the time I'm done with all my schoolwork."

"Don't count on it, kiddo." Anakin says, "Just wait until the war's over and the Jedi have to go back to boring tasks like diplomacy and reviewing the Code."

"They can change the Code?" This is the first she's heard.

"Not quite." Obi-Wan says before looking at Anakin, "I'm not sure what part of diplomacy you find 'boring', but it remains an essential part of the Jedi Order's role in the Republic and we must-"

He's cut off by a singular beep from his commlink. Anakin frowns when Obi-Wan ignores the incoming message and instead calls over the alter to get the bill, "Who was that, Master?"

"Oh," Obi-Wan hardly looks at the device on his wrist, "it's the Council; we should see what they want."

His tone is flat, and Ahsoka may be unenthusiastic about facing the Council, but Obi-Wan isn't supposed to be. She gives Anakin a confused look as they stand and start shuffling out of the booth, practically running after Obi-Wan.

Anakin puts a hand on her shoulder before she can make her concerns known, "Leave him, Snips; he's under a lot of stress."

"I know." She replies, catches a glimpse of Obi-Wan putting a fist to his lips and then swallowing something. He looks at her and smiles- it's forced.

"Come along, Ahsoka." He says, clearing his throat a few times. He's certainly not acting like himself, maybe he's ill.

"So, what's the big rush?" Anakin says to Obi-Wan whilst Ahsoka scans their surroundings wearily outside the restaurant. Something doesn't feel _right_.

It's like the feeling she gets seconds before a bomb is about to go off.

"The Jedi Council has called an emergency meeting." Obi-Wan explains as the trio walk across the landing platform. Whatever the Council needs, it's apparently more important than sic-six-layer cake.

Anakin sighs, "I can see it now. Another _long_ , boring debate."

Ahsoka shakes off the feeling of someone watching them and looks up at Anakin with a smile, "Would you rather they called you in to train younglings?"

It's a weak attempt at easing the sudden tension, and Anakin catches on. He smirks down at her, nudging her arm, "Are you crazy?"

_Watch out, young one!_

She senses the shot before it's fired, and doesn't hesitate from grabbing Anakin's arm, pulling him away as a red bolt zips between him and Obi-Wan. Immediately, the Jedi spring into action, darting behind a nearby stack of crates.

"Any idea where that shot came from?" Obi-Wan asks, narrowly dodging another bolt that scores the edge of the crate he's hiding behind.

Ahsoka squints- her eyesight being much better than a human's- and spots the dark shadow on the top of the building. She points, "A sniper. I see him up there."

"Alright, here's the plan." Obi-Wan says, ducking as he's fired at again, "Anakin, you flank him on the right. Ahsoka, you cover the lower streets." She nods in acknowledgement, "I'm going after him."

She ignores the voice in the back of her head that tells her Obi-Wan shouldn't be the one going after the sniper as they stand, igniting their lightsabers and charging out from their cover.

Ahsoka runs through the streets, hearing blaster bolts ring out above her. Anakin's voice comes through her commlink, _"I lost him! Obi-Wan, do you have anything?"_

She comes to a stop when her Grandmaster doesn't respond. She sees Obi-Wan above her, his back pressed to a ventilation pipe, but he doesn't ignite his lightsaber. Does he _want_ to get killed?

_Save him, young one!_

A white-hot warning flashes through the Force, and Ahsoka jumps to the rooftop without hesitating. Whatever Obi-Wan's reason for not defending himself, she can't allow the sniper to kill him. She wouldn't be able to live with herself.

Everything happens so fast.

She lands on the edge of the rooftop, halfway between Obi-Wan and the sniper. Before she can pull her lightsabers into a defensive position, a shot splits through the air.

"Ahsoka!" Someone shouts- possibly Obi-Wan; it's too much of a blur.

She feels the impact on her shoulder first, so hard it sweeps her off her feet. Ahsoka braces herself to feel her back slam against the rooftop as fiery pain spreads through her left shoulder.

The rooftop is no longer beneath her. Panics consumes her thoughts, and she scrambles to get a grip on anything solid, her fingers grasping at thin air.

Then, she feels herself falling.

"Master!" She screams to neither one in particular as she feels her limbs against the wind. She’s falling fast. It's too late to use the Force to catch herself.

"Ahsoka!" That's Anakin. Maybe he can catch her, or at least slow her down.

The ground is coming closer and closer, and she tries to land on her feet until- _CRACK!_

Her left leg lands flat-footed on the floor and crumbles from the force. There's an audible snap as her knee gives way and she falls _hard_ , hitting her lower back hard against the floor. The back of her head smacks into the ground, and she stops falling.

Pain alights in her body like alcohol near an open flame.

* * *

Anakin moves faster than he’s ever moved in his entire life when he sees Ahsoka fall off the rooftop. Time slows down, and he speeds up.

A fall from a distance like that is usually nothing to a Force-user, but he knows how difficult it is to use the Force when injured.

He lands in the street, hoping to see Ahsoka sitting up and cradling her shoulder. Hopefully, her training kicked in and the muscle memory made sure she landed on her feet.

He's wrong.

Ahsoka's laying on her back, her face scrunched up in pain. He can feel her agony, and it makes him feel dizzy. He sprints forwards- feeling like he’s running through wet cement- and realises this isn't an injury a bacta patch can fix.

Her left leg took the brunt of her fall, judging by the bone protruding through her shin, letting blood pool around her. The girl pushes herself up with one arm, whimpering like an injured animal, before her eyes land on her leg.

She pales.

“Stay down, Ahsoka.” He orders, dropping to his knees beside her. He takes her hand, squeezing it as tight as he can. "It's alright; I'm here now. You're going to be fine."

He’s saying it to reassure himself more than her.

"A-Anakin...." She swivels her head to look at him as he lowers her back to the ground. She winces, and fear courses through his veins.

“Where does it hurt the most?” He asks, terrified she’s bleeding internally.

"My.... back..."

* * *

Obi-Wan feels the breath leave his lungs as if the shot hits him.

One moment, he's prepared to step out from behind the ventilation pipe, putting all of his faith into the bulletproof vest beneath his tunic. Then, his Grandpadawan's in front of him, already getting knocked off her feet by the force of the blow.

Obi-Wan freezes to the spot, unable to move fast enough to break her fall. This was a mistake. He should've never signed up to this Rako Hardeen mission.

_The Child has paid the price, wise one._

Hardeen fires again, barely missing his head. Obi-Wan’s half tempted to stay put and wait for one of the stray shots to hit him until he hears Anakin shout, "Obi-Wan, call a medic!"

Ahsoka and Anakin need him more than the Chancellor and the Council right now.

Landing effortlessly in the street, he approaches the two younger Jedi, and the sight makes his stomach clench. 

Ahsoka lays flat, her left leg disturbingly bent and the bone sticking out beneath her knee, the wound oozing blood. Open fractures are _bad_.

That isn't the worst of her injuries. Anakin’s knelt at her head, his arms outstretched and hands supporting her neck. Spinal injury. Obi-Wan's blood runs cold as the severity of the accident sinks in- if it can be called an accident.

This was a planned attack, after all.

He stands at Ahsoka's feet, but he can't go any further. The guilt is threatening to swallow him whole, and his chest starts to ache. Is the vital suppressor malfunctioning?

What has he done?


	2. Chapter 2

"Obi-Wan!" Ahsoka hears Anakin say over the rushing in her montrals, urgency in his voice. She blinks up at her Master, sees the tendons in his neck straining.

His hands are moulded around her neck and jaw, keeping her in a vice-like grip. Still, she wants to see if Master Kenobi is okay- as the sniper was aiming for him- so she lifts her head, only for Anakin's grip to tighten. "Stay still for me, Ahsoka."

"Master..." She manages to say through chattering teeth, "I'm scared..."

"I've got you." She can hear the reassurance in his voice, but it sounds forced. "Obi-Wan, snap out of it! Ahsoka needs help!"

There's nothing but silence for a few seconds, and she's about to cry out for her Grandmaster, when she feels a hand on her left knee. Gasping, Ahsoka tries to pull the limb towards her body, which only sends an excruciating pain through her entire leg.

_Stay still, young one._

She whimpers, biting her lip to stop herself from screaming. She scrambles for her Master's presence in her mind to ground her, and Anakin responds, wrapping her up in a blanket of warmth and security. It doesn't make the pain go away, but it makes it tolerable- _barely_.

"Hang in there, Snips." Anakin breathes, like he's warning her.

They press something against her left shin, and any hope of remaining still for her Master vanishes. Ahsoka screams and arches her back- despite the agony it causes- as Obi-Wan presses on the wound.

Her screams turn into choked cries as the pain steals the breath from her lungs. Anakin floods their Force bond with peace and security, but it does nothing to help her cope with the pain. Tears gather in the corners of her eyes and start streaming down her cheeks.

Never, in her entire life and military career, has she been in this much pain.

She’s been shot multiple times in the stomach at once, suffered bad concussions, and even had to get a lung drained in the field, but this is a whole new level of suffering.

"You need to stay still, Ahsoka." Anakin says, using the same stern tone he used after her failure on Ryloth. "Stay still and it won't be so painful."

Her chest heaves as she tries to calm herself. There's still a horrible pressure on her shin, but she tries to focus on her Master's voice like she does during a thunderstorm. He hasn't gotten her killed in this war so far, so she trusts he won't let her die like this.

* * *

"Deep breaths, there you go." Anakin praises Ahsoka as she struggles for air in her state of panic and pain. "You're going to be fine, I'm right here."

He looks up at Obi-Wan who removed his outer tunic to apply pressure to the wound on her leg to slow the bleeding. Hearing Ahsoka cry hurts Anakin to his core, but it's a necessary evil.

With the other hand, Obi-Wan orders an evac through his commlink, but his eyes look glazed over. Anakin frowns: it isn't like Obi-Wan to lose his head in circumstances like this. He’s usually the calm and collected one.

He taps his Master’s Force-signature, gets hit by a wave of panic and dread.

"Anakin..." Ahsoka calls his name before he can question Obi-Wan. Her breaths are short and laboured, "My back... it h-hurts..." He takes it as a small victory that she can _feel_ her back.

"I know it does." He’s had one spinal injury in his life, and even though it was minor, it felt like a gundark was prancing over his back. "The medics will be here soon. They'll have pain relief, okay?"

She tries to nod, but he doesn't let her. Any more movement to her back or neck may cause permanent paralysis, and he doesn’t want Ahsoka to spend the rest of her life relying on people to aid her to the fresher.

"A Coruscant Guard squadron is on its way." Obi-Wan’s voice is hoarse. "They’re alerting the Temple."

Anakin nods gravely, then forces a smile as he looks down at Ahsoka, "Hear that, Snips? You'll be submerged in the empathetic and good-humoured personality of Master Che in no time!”

His attempt at a joke to ease the seriousness of the situation fails. Ahsoka's in too much pain to think straight, and Obi-Wan's completely focused on maintaining the pressure on her leg.

There's a crowd of civilian spectators forming, but Anakin can ignore them. In the distance, police speeders are pulling up. They’ll want an incident report, but right now, Ahsoka needs all of his attention. He feels something wet on his fingers wrapped around the back of her head, and he inwardly curses.

A blaster wound, badly broken leg, spinal injury and now a head trauma. At least Ahsoka hasn't lost consciousness and is breathing somewhat normally. That sniper is going to _pay_ for doing this to his Padawan.

"Master, what happened?" Anakin demands, "Ahsoka was meant to be on the street level, not on the rooftop."

* * *

Obi-Wan’s mouth feels dry as he speaks, "I... I don't know why she jumped up." 

It’s a lie; he knows why Ahsoka appeared in front of him. She saw him about to step out into Hardeen’s line of fire; she tried to save him. The pain in his chest intensifies, and his jaw starts to ache. It’s got to be the vital suppressor.

Anakin scans him suspiciously, "Are you wearing a bulletproof vest?"

Obi-Wan stiffens, not even realising he revealed the vest when he removed his tunic to stem Ahsoka’s bleeding.

The vest was supposed to save his life when Hardeen shot him. He sucks in a sharp breath; Ahsoka’s seriously lucky the bolt missed her chest.

He's too guilty to admit to Anakin that the attack was planned. How can he admit that whilst Ahsoka lays between them, drowning beneath layers of pain? Should he lie and tell Anakin the truth later? He won't like that either, but maybe Obi-Wan can recruit Senator Amidala to help break the news, or even the Chancellor. Yes, that might work.

Before he can say anything, he hears a LAAT overhead, and the Coruscant Guard arrives. Three medics start working on Ahsoka, rapidly speaking to each other in medical terms which Obi-Wan can barely understand. One takes over his job, splinting Ahsoka's leg for ease of transportation.

It will be operated on for sure, and he won't be surprised if Ahsoka’s off the field for a _long_ time.

Those types of injuries...

Another flare of pain shoots through his chest.

Anakin doesn't let go of Ahsoka's head and neck until a medic puts a brace on her. The Padawan whimpers, reaching out for her mentor. Anakin takes her hand, obviously trying to hold himself back from interfering as they move her onto a spinal board. Obi-Wan feels his own fists clench when she cries out in pain.

He’s never seen her cry before.

"She needs morphine!" Anakin demands in his most authoritative tone. A medic scrambles to inject Ahsoka with the powerful painkiller. 

Obi-Wan remembers when Ahsoka was first been shot on the battlefield- nearly two years ago. Every medic had worked silently around the aggravated Knight who wanted her to put in a bacta tank for a minor scratch on her thigh.

Right now, Anakin's worry is well justified.

"Try to take deep breaths, Commander Tano." A medic instructs, putting a mask over Ahsoka's face. Her eyes are wide- terrified- as she looks at all the different people around her. "The painkillers will kick in soon."

"General Kenobi." He turns to Thorn- one of the Coruscant Guard Commanders. "Which direction did the sniper escape in?"

"The Council will deal with it." He says, brushing the man off as he steps onto the gunship after Anakin. He knows Commander Fox is aware of what the plan was tonight, but the rest of the clones are oblivious.

The Council’s plan is to arrest Hardeen, and they'll still do it. Hardeen needs to be dealt with for what he had done to Ahsoka.

Still, surely the Council should also get sentenced for orchestrating this?

_Are you really any better than the criminals you are trying to stop, wise one?_

Obi-Wan tunes into the conversation the medics are having around them, none of them paying attention to the fact that their young and petrified patient is conscious and can hear every word.

“Severe blood loss.” The senior medic says, pushing a needle into the inside of Ahsoka’s elbow without an ounce of compassion when she pulls away. He just grips her arm harder. “Prep a defib in case she flatlines.”

This news makes Ahsoka scream out for Anakin, sobbing so hard that the sound hurts Obi-Wan’s ears. The Knight takes a knee beside the gurney, stroking his student’s sweaty forehead and murmuring words too quiet for Obi-Wan to hear.

Anakin’s words quieten Ahsoka, but Obi-Wan can still hear her crying over and over, “I’m going to die; I’m going to die…”

A flash of pain jolts through Obi-Wan’s chest, and he has to hold onto the side of the gunship to stop his knees from buckling as the shuttle flees the scene, sirens blaring to get them to the Temple as quickly as possible.

Anakin attempts to reassure her, murmuring, “Don’t say that, Snips; you’re going to be fine. Relax, breathe. It’s all okay.”

“Tachycardia,” one medic says, pressing two fingers under the brace on Ahsoka’s neck to take her pulse, “use a tourniquet to stem the bleeding.”

Anakin lifts his head and meets Obi-Wan’s gaze, both Generals knowing exactly what it means when a tourniquet must be used. The medics don’t wait for permission- trained to do whatever it takes to save lives- and wrap the tourniquet tightly around Ahsoka’s left thigh. 

Obi-Wan feels like his heart is having a seizure.

Ahsoka tries to pull Anakin closer to her, and Obi-Wan can tell the Knight’s supporting her through the Force.

He wonders why he hasn't done the same.

He's too guilty.

“Sir, are you alright?”

Obi-Wan turns to the clone addressing him- a shiny, by the look of things. His mouth feels so dry that talking is like chewing on sandpaper, “Fine, thank you, trooper. Commander Tano’s the one who isn’t.”

The shiny glances over at Ahsoka, “A sniper, eh? Must have shot her leg several times.”

Obi-Wan doesn’t have the strength to correct him. The trooper cocks his head at him, “You sure you weren’t injured too, General? You look a little pale.”

He forces a smile, “I appreciate your concern, but it’s unnecessary. I’m fine, I assure you.”

The clone almost sighs, “If you say so, sir.”

The gunship wobbles a little, and Obi-Wan puts out a hand before the poor shiny falls over. The medics try to stabilise the gurney as best as they can, but a string of curses escape both Ahsoka as she’s jolted.

“Easy, easy.” Anakin murmurs to his student who is sobbing in pain, “Just the side winds; it’s alright.”

“Fly like a pilot please, Shredder,” Thorn whines into his comm, and then the gunship steadies.

“You’re new, aren’t you?” Obi-Wan asks the shiny, not letting go of his arm until he’s upright again.

The shiny lets out a nervous laugh, “Is it obvious, sir?”

Obi-Wan smiles, but he isn’t amused. “A little.”

“I’m Pick.” The clone introduces himself, and Obi-Wan feel his eyebrows raise. Very rarely will a clone tell a superior their name without being asked. “This, uh,” Pick nods at the gurney in the centre of the gunship, “it’s not what I expected to be doing on my first night shift. I never thought I’d meet the iconic trio like this, especially Commander Tano.”

He only hums in response, his attention completely on Ahsoka. Anakin’s still crouched, holding Ahsoka’s uninjured arm and speaking quickly, probably trying to reassure her. Obi-Wan notices Thorn is holding Anakin’s shoulder, keeping the Knight steady.

Force, his chest hurts.


	3. Chapter 3

"What happened?" Windu demands, storming down the corridor towards Obi-Wan with Master Yoda running by his side to keep up. "You're supposed to be dead."

Obi-Wan hides a flinch at Windu's choice of words and looks around, making sure nobody is in earshot. Everyone who had been on the landing platform has already gone through with Ahsoka and Anakin. 

It was a mad frenzy to get the injured Padawan inside as the blood loss started to take its toll and she couldn't form coherent sentences. Anakin panicked and started yelling, which made Master Che put her foot down and start dishing out orders like it was her job. 

All the while, Obi-Wan couldn't find the strength to tell Anakin to calm down.

"Hardeen hit Ahsoka." He says, trying to not sound like he's about to fall apart, "She fell off the rooftop and is in critical condition." 

He needs to find out exactly how critical Ahsoka's condition is. The clones didn't do a field amputation, but Master Che wore a grim face when she saw the state of Ahsoka's leg. It can’t be good.

Windu's expression doesn't soften in the slightest, "Our plan is ruined."

"Our plan was _flawed_." Obi-Wan retorts angrily, "Anakin and Ahsoka did _not_ need to be in harm's way, and now a Padawan is severely injured!"

"Control your emotions, you must." Master Yoda says. "Severe injuries, Padawan Tano has sustained, but strong, she is."

Just because she can take the pain, doesn’t mean she has to.

Obi-Wan doesn’t think this is the right time for a lecture. Neither of the Jedi Masters had to see Ahsoka sprawled on the ground or hear her cries of pain. They didn't have to hold her head still like Anakin had to. 

"You were meant to be the only one near the bounty hunter." Windu says, "Tano was supposed to be on the street level where the risk of harm was lower."

"She jumped up to the roof when she saw I was about to be hit." Obi-Wan drags a hand down his face when the memory re-surfaces in his mind. Ahsoka cries echoes around his head.

Kriff, his chest still aches.

 _You must rest, wise one._

"Look, it won't take long for Anakin to put the pieces together and find out we planned this." Obi-Wan gestures at his revealed bulletproof vest, sighs, "He won't take that well, especially if he finds out himself."

"Are you suggesting we disclose the secret mission to Skywalker?" Windu asks, looking murderous.

"It's better to tell him, then leave him to think-” Obi-Wan's voice cuts out as surging pain courses through his chest, forcing him to his knees. It’s like electricity lacing through his rib cage, spreading through his shoulders and reaching the back of his throat.

"Obi-Wan?" Windu puts a hand on his shoulder, concern igniting in his eyes. "Obi-Wan, what wrong?"

He can't find the words to tell them about the pain. Obi-Wan doubles over and heaves, throwing up his dinner. He hasn’t been sick since he was a Padawan.

His stomach spasms and he coughs, vision going spotty. He sees Windu speaking into his commlink. Master Yoda has a hand on his knee, using the Force internally. 

Obi-Wan can't catch his breath. 

* * *

Vokara Che is no stranger to traumatic injuries. She's the Chief Jedi Healer, after all. She can practically heal severe wounds in her sleep.

However, treating a youngling with said traumatic injuries is _not_ her speciality. 

When she receives a call that Padawan Tano has fallen from the top of a building, she and her entire staff are completely unprepared- especially when Tano is slipping into hypovolemic shock upon arrival at the Temple.

Once she’s stabilised with a red blood cell transfusion- because Togrutas are one of the few awkward species that reject the more efficient transfusion of plasma- Vokara can examine her injuries without being rushed.

There is _nothing_ she hates more than being rushed.

She's relieved to find Tano's back pain is only from a singular vertebral body compression fracture, and not a more severe spinal injury. Her back will be good as new after a vertebroplasty to inject bone cement into the fractured vertebral body, followed by a session with the Force to remove bone fragments from the spinal canal, and finally, eight to twelve weeks in a brace. Easy.

She can’t say the same about her leg.

Vokara’s known for being blunt, but she isn't a vulgar woman- _usually_. The Junior Healers around her jump when she sees the state of the youngling's leg for the first time, and a string of curses leave her mouth.

When she uses the Force to examine the internal damage, she swears again- under her breath, this time.

The damage starts at the bottom of Tano’s femur, which was fractured. Bone knitters will fix that easily enough. They won’t be able to fix her patella, which has completely shattered- she’ll need a patellofemoral replacement for sure.

Every ligament in her knee is torn, and her tibia is broken in three points with one open fracture. If they use bacta, there’s a risk it’ll heal in the wrong place and cause more problems later on. They can heal complex breaks through the Force, but it’s going to be one hell of a feat.

Vokara has faith in her abilities, but that doesn't stop her from telling her staff to have a complete lower leg prosthetic prepared. Unlike the clone medics, _proper_ doctors only consider amputation as a last resort, although she’s thankful they used a tourniquet or else they could be dealing with a very lifeless Padawan right now.

She plans to put the Padawan under general anaesthesia for the operation, but then the brain scan comes back. She curses again- kriffing sensitive Togruta headgear- and storms back to where Skywalker stands by his student's gurney.

* * *

She's doing every breathing exercise she’s ever been taught, but _nothing_ lets her escape the pain. It’s fire and ice in her every cell. It’s torture without any way to make it stop.

Through their bond and with one hand holding hers, Anakin is supporting her, expelling as much of the pain as possible. Ahsoka wishes his efforts were making a big difference, but they aren't.

She's been injured before, but never this badly. The medics have never used a tourniquet on her, and the few times they use them on the clones, Ahsoka usually never sees them again.

In some ways, she wishes it's Coric and Kix treating her, not the emotionless Jedi Healers who don't joke or provide reassurance or make any conversation at all. They would tell her she’s conscious and breathing, and that’s all that matters.

She shouldn’t be so afraid, but she is.

She's terrified. 

It’s probably only been an hour since they left the restaurant, but it feels like a lifetime ago. Even with the heavy-duty pain meds, she's in agony. It doesn't help that surgery scares the living daylights out of her.

"Skywalker," she hears Master Che say, the Healer’s bluntness coming through, "a word."

Anakin sighs- loudly- and Ahsoka wishes she could see his face, but she's strapped down. It can’t be good if Master Che wants to talk to her mentor in private.

"I'll be back in a moment." Anakin murmurs, squeezing her hand before letting go. "Try to meditate; it won't be long until you go in for surgery."

Then, she's alone, and her panic sets in. 

This isn't some minor injury. Her leg feels half-numb and half-burning, there’s something wrong with her back, and her head feels like she’s been hit by a speeder. As if that isn’t enough, there's the pain in her shoulder from the blaster bolt, and the sensation of electric sparks running up and down her arm.

She tries to clench her fist, and she can’t even feel her fingers.

_You must relax, young one._

She closes her eyes against the harsh, white lighting and tries to deepen her breathing. It’s impossible to focus on the details of what happened on the landing platform. One moment, Obi-Wan was about to be shot by the assassin, and then she remembers falling from the roof- she can still feel the wind rushing past her montrals. 

It's odd; Obi-Wan has been absent since they arrived at the Temple. No doubt, he may be staying out of the Healers' way, but it isn't like Master Obi-Wan to be distant when her or Anakin are injured.

She hears the heart rate monitor begin to slow down, and she expels her fears into the Force- _attempts_ to. She keeps reminding herself she's being treated in the Temple with some of the best doctors in the galaxy.

She's going to be fine- absolutely fine. Stable and conscious; she has nothing to worry about.

Her fears only intensify.

* * *

Hesitantly, Anakin follows Vokara into the corridor, leaving the other Healers to prepare his Padawan for surgery. With fentanyl and dobutamine coursing through her system, and a second blood transfusion already underway, the Togruta is no longer deemed in critical condition, although Vokara is still concerned.

Padawan Tano is now her top priority patient.

“It’s unsafe to put your Padawan under completely.” She tells Skywalker, crossing her arms over her chest, “Her head injury is more severe than I originally thought. Using a local anaesthetic is our best shot.”

He runs his fingers through his hair, “She’s petrified, Master Che. If she’s awake during the op, she’ll freak out and-”

Vokara holds up a hand, stopping him. “I would like you to scrub up and keep her calm during the op, Skywalker. Can I trust you to do that?”

“Yes, Master.” He nods vigorously, already turning towards the door, “I’ll let Ahsoka know.”

She watches him re-enter the room where Padawan Tano is waiting. Skywalker has always been attached to Kenobi like glue- especially when they paid frequent visits to the Halls of Healing during his Apprenticeship- and he’s no different with his own student.

Vokara’s scrubbing her arms from the elbows down, minutes away from taking Tano under the knife when her second in command, Tyson, appears by her side. He looks worried.

“We’ve had a problem, ma’am.” She frowns at him, wondering what could’ve possibly happened to Ahsoka in the three minutes since she entered the scrubs room. “It’s Master Kenobi.”

“Kenobi?” Her brow furrows. She knew he was with Skywalker when Tano got injured, but she hasn’t seen him since they arrived on the landing platform.

“Windu called me, said Kenobi was clutching his chest, couldn’t catch his breath, vomiting, the works. There’s no coronary artery blockage, but I’d bet credits it was a myocardial infarction.” Tyson sighs, “Whatever it was, he’s stabilised, resting, and asked that we don’t tell Skywalker.”

Vokara pauses in her motions of lathering soap between her fingers, thinks out loud, “Acute stress-induced cardiomyopathy.”

One of Tyson’s eyebrows shot up, “I thought you said broken heart syndrome was a myth.”

“I thought it _was_ \- for Jedi.” Vokara sighs, turning off the tap with her elbow. “Seeing Padawan Tano in that state must have been traumatic.”

“But Skywalker’s _fine_.” Tyson argues, “Why would Kenobi have been so shocked?”

“Good question.” She also wonders why Skywalker didn’t sense Kenobi’s pain, but Tano’s injuries have undoubtedly distracted him. 

“Keep him under observation.” She tells him, allowing a nurse to tie the gown at the back of her neck. “I’ll deal with him after I operate on Padawan Tano. Skywalker’s coming in with us, so that’ll keep him out of the way.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Tyson nods and leaves the scrubs room.

Typical Kenobi to not want Skywalker to worry about him. 

* * *

Anakin goes to Ahsoka’s side once again, sees her quickly wiping her cheeks. It breaks his heart.

A few times during his childhood, he caught his mother crying, and she always tried to wipe away the evidence after she saw him watching. Seeing Ahsoka wiping away her tears makes Anakin feel just as powerless as he felt when his mother got upset.

"Snips." He grips her forearm and squeezes gently, "Master Che can’t use general anaesthesia for your op, so I'm going to come in and help you."

She nods absentmindedly, and he can feel the entirety of her terror, even if she’s putting on a brace face.

“Ahsoka.” He stands over her, making sure his expression is serious. “You’re going to be fine; I promise.”

His words of attempted reassurance have little effect on his petrified Padawan. Hell, even he’s shaking. It’s only been an hour or so since that wretched sniper attacked them. As far as Anakin knows, no Jedi or clones have gone looking for the bastard yet. 

He knows Ahsoka’s injuries aren’t life-threatening anymore, thanks to the quick response of himself, Obi-Wan and the clones, but he’s also aware _he’s_ never been injured as badly as Ahsoka is right now.

She’s one hell of a tough kid. Anakin watches as his student is prepared for theatre. Her bottom lip is hard, and he can tell she’s holding back cries as the Healers move her around, as carefully as they can.

He reaches for their bond, providing her with an outlet for the pain and shock. Dazed on painkillers, Ahsoka sloppily projects her agony towards him at full speed, and Anakin feels his knees shake. 

He was helping manage her pain earlier, but that was controlled, calm, composed. This is something else.

Kriff, he’s going to be sick.

It’s the most horrible type of pain. His eyes prick with tears, and his stomach rolls, but he doesn’t shut her off. Just because Ahsoka’s composure is as solid as steel doesn’t mean she has to take the pain on by herself.

Anakin has to stabilise himself against the wall when Ahsoka yelps and he becomes nauseous with the pain she’s feeling. It’s her leg this time- more specifically, her foot. The Healers are taking away the splint before they move out of the triage room.

Ahsoka’s left foot was the least of Anakin’s problems earlier, but now he catches a glimpse of it, and he feels bile in his mouth. Her toes were crushed inside her boot when she landed roughly. He has to turn away, full well knowing the small, disfigured digits will have to be amputated and replaced.

The best way to explain the pain she’s feeling is by imagining a nail under his toenail, and then kicking a brick wall.

“Anakin…” Ahsoka gasps through sobs, her right hand reaching out for him whilst her left one is limp across her stomach.

“I’m here.” His weak stomach aside, Anakin steps forward to intertwine their fingers. “I’m not going anywhere.”

He remembers countless times of desperately wanting someone to sit by his side in the medbay after getting injured on campaigns. Of course, he’d never _told_ Ahsoka or Obi-Wan that he wanted their company, so he rarely got it. Usually, one would stay close by, often sitting at his bedside whilst he slept, but it’s irresponsible for a CO to sacrifice their duties just to sit beside an injured comrade.

Now, Anakin has all the time in the world, and Ahsoka needs him _here_.

“I can’t… do this…” Ahsoka rasps, making Anakin frown. “The… surgery… Please… don’t make me…”

Sometime during the start of her Apprenticeship, Ahsoka was involved in an explosion- Anakin can’t even remember which planet they were on or which battle they were fighting. She managed to walk out of it, but not without a couple broken ribs.

On the evac- where Anakin thought she was nothing more than a bit dazed- Ahsoka sagged straight into his arms and couldn’t get a word out because breathing was so hard. Thank the Force, Kix was onboard their transport, and saved her life by repairing her punctured lung mid-flight. 

Ahsoka was awake for that unpleasant procedure, so it’s obvious why she’s worried now.

“Time to go, Padawan.” Master Che says, hovering next to them. “Your Master needs to scrub up, and we need to move you onto your front.”

They’re going to prioritise her back over her leg.

Anakin glances down, sees the tourniquet still tightly wound around Ahsoka’s thigh. Not good. He gets a bad feeling she’ll end up like him- an amputee. 

Before Anakin can say something to reassure his apprehensive Padawan, Ahsoka pulls her hand out of his grip and throws a punch towards Master Che along with a predatory snarl.

“I’m not going!”

She’s reached her limit.

The Healer catches the girl’s fist before it gets close to her jaw, her eyes narrowed.

Anakin looks between them- Master Che’s calm expression a stark contrast to Ahsoka’s panicked one.

Ahsoka’s silent, which is strange. She’s thrown a hit or two towards the medics on the _Resolute_ , as all wounded soldiers tend to do, but the clones usually laugh it off and say, _use a bat next time so you’ll end my misery faster_.

“I don’t want to restrain you, Ahsoka, but I will if you fight me.” Master Che breaks the silence, her fingers wrapped tightly around Ahsoka’s wrist as the Togruta starts to struggle.

Ahsoka’s eyes widen at the mention of restraints, and it scares Anakin too because Master Che all too often used the same threat with him when he was a Padawan. Most of the time, she followed through.

“That won’t be necessary, Master.” He says, taking Ahsoka’s arm from the Healer and pinning it effectively to the mattress- not hurting her but silently telling her that struggling won’t get her anywhere.

“You _better_ keep her calm in there, Skywalker.” Master Che warns, her voice low. “I’m going to be doing an intricate procedure on her spine, and we cannot afford for my hand to slip because she’s fighting me off. Do you understand?”

There’s an unsaid warning in there: _do you understand one slip could paralyse her?_

“I’m sorry, Master.” Ahsoka murmurs beneath him after Master Che leaves.

“Don’t be,” he reassures, “you’re holding yourself remarkably. Now, can I trust you to not fight any of the Healers whilst I get ready?”

He looks down at his dirt-ridden uniform, knows he’ll put Ahsoka’s life at risk if he brings bacteria into her surgery.

She seems to hesitate before nodding- the barest tilt of her head making the gesture. Anakin smiles, pats her arm reassuringly, “I’ll be right back, Snips.”

Her moist eyes twinkle at the nickname, “See you soon, Skyguy.”


	4. Chapter 4

Rex paces the length of the common room, his footsteps echoing through the silent room. His men are around him- sitting or leaning- waiting for some news.

Tension is thick in the air. He wishes Fives were here, but the ARC is away on a mission. He always knows how to relieve the pressure in the atmosphere with a well-timed joke or some words of optimism. 

Nobody's smiled since they saw Commander Tano being loaded onto a Coruscant Guard transport, covered in blood and Skywalker clutching her hand like a lifeline.

Rex knew his Jedi Officers were joining Kenobi for dinner this evening, but things have obviously taken a turn. Nothing’s ever easy for those three.

The _HoloNet_ is spewing a lot of theories: terrorist bombing, speeder crash, even animal attack. Rex- without the real story- knows none of the rumours are true. It's not that simple.

If it were terrorism, the Coruscant Guard would still be on the scene, but they're not. He knows it wasn't a driving accident because Skywalker's speeder was at the Temple, and the General would never let Kenobi or Ahsoka drive him anywhere. Thirdly, an animal attack is highly unlikely. Ahsoka Tano would never let _any_ animal catch her off guard.

He doesn't have any answers _why_ his Commander ended up seriously injured, but he _does_ know she isn't dead. If she were, the _HoloNet_ would be having an absolute field day of tributes and statements from the Jedi. Aside from replaying the five-second-long clip of her and Skywalker boarding the transport, the _HoloNet_ knows just about as much as Rex does.

“Sir,” Coric says, his voice tired, “you’re not putting the men at ease.”

Rex turns towards his Second, sees the stress in the medic’s eyes. Coric offers him a bitter smile, “The Corrie Guard medics looked like they had the situation under control.”

Rex scans his face. If Coric thinks Ahsoka will be alright, then he’ll trust him, even if his gut is still apprehensive.

He runs a hand through his buzzed hair, “I won’t sleep tonight if I don’t hear what happened.”

“I don’t think any of us will,” Coric says in solidarity, “but we’ll have to, especially when the General gives us the name of the person who did this to her.”

Rex’s eyes narrow and he lowers his voice, “You think _one_ person did this?”

There are some sick bastards in the universe who like to spend their days trying to assassinate Jedi, but thinking about someone dedicating themselves to murdering Ahsoka makes him feel a bit sick.

“The Jedi would’ve sensed it coming if it was a group.” Coric explains quietly, “One person would’ve been harder to spot.”

He’s right. Assuming Ahsoka is still alive- which Rex _knows_ she is- then only one person could’ve been responsible, and they left the scene when they failed. If it were a group, they would’ve tried harder to accomplish their target.

Two of his men- Jesse and Kix- stand from one of the sofas, drawing Rex’s attention away from Coric, “Boys, where are you going?”

“Guess.” Jesse replies bluntly. He’s never coped well when his friends have been injured in the past.

“You’re not going to the Temple.” Rex states authoritatively, crossing his arms over his chest as he blocks their path.

“Captain, _please_ ,” Kix all but begs, “I can’t just _sit_ here and wait.”

He’s about to scold the junior medic, but Rex puts himself in Kix’s shoes. If he was a medic, responsible for the health and wellbeing of his Jedi COs, then he wouldn’t want to sit around in a time like this.

Rex puts a hand on Kix’s shoulder and softens his tone. “The Jedi Healers know what they’re doing, Kix. The General would contact us if he wanted you or Coric there.”

Kix slumps, “Yes, sir.”

Rex squeezes his shoulder gently, “Good man.” He looks up at Jesse, “Do you understand, trooper?”

The clone scowls, “Sir, yes, sir.” His tone is tainted with subtle insubordination, but given the circumstances, Rex brushes it off.

Right now, they have bigger problems.

“You’re a role model for these men.” He nods towards the rows of younger clones who are anxiously waiting for news regarding their beloved Commander. “They could use some reassurance, and even if you’re still anxious, I know you can fake some strength for them.”

The beeping of a commlink draws everyone’s attention to Rex’s wrist, the device flashing eagerly. His stomach plummets.

“Excuse me,” he says, knowing he’d never be able to take this call in front of so many hopeful faces. He nods to Coric, walks into his office and closes the door. Hopefully, the Sergeant can keep them calm.

“Captain Rex,” he says into the device, trying to slow his racing heart.

 _“Captain, this is Commander Thorn.”_ The Coruscant Guard officer’s voice is as strong as steel. _“General Skywalker asked me to contact you.”_

Rex can’t help himself from blurting out, “Is the Commander alright?”

 _“Conscious and breathing.”_ Rex exhales in relief, _“We just left the Temple. Commander Tano was in a pretty rough state when we arrived, but my men treated her most severe injuries.”_ There’s a brief pause and some mumbling _, “My senior medic tells me her condition is no longer life-threatening.”_

Thank the living Force.

Rex takes the commlink off his wrist and leans both hands on his desk, stretching out his sore back. “What happened down there, sir?”

Another pause. _“General Kenobi said a bounty hunter was responsible for the attack, but he bolted before we arrived on the scene.”_ That’s typical. _“The GAR will publish a report as soon as we have statements from Kenobi, Skywalker and Tano.”_

_“Captain, I should tell you something before rumours spread.”_

Thorn has always been serious, but the edge in his voice makes Rex feel sick. _“Tano’s injuries- although not fatal- are serious. When she fell from the rooftop, she received a potential spinal injury which-”_

“She fell from a rooftop?” Panic floods Rex. Jedi _always_ land on two feet. What the hell happened?

 _“About six stories.”_ Thorn supplies casually, as if the information will reassure him. _“Skywalker braced her neck, and my guys put her on a board, so her spine should hopefully recover, but the injury sustained to her leg is much more concerning.”_

Rex swallows hard as Thorn continues, his head spinning from all the information, _“My medics had no other choice but to use a tourniquet, Captain. She would’ve bled out otherwise.”_

The weight of his words comes crashing down on Rex’s shoulders, and his knees threaten to buckle. Tourniquets mean one thing: amputation.

Not her… not Ahsoka…

Something blurs his vision and Rex blinks furiously. One of his men, Digger, was taken back to Kamino six months ago after an explosion. Rex remembers having to explain to Ahsoka what it means when tourniquets are used. They haven’t seen Digger since, and Rex eventually had to answer Ahsoka’s questions about what happened to him. She was heartbroken.

Force, the littlun must be terrified. She’s going to need his strength more than ever. He needs to be the one with a cool head, the one with the optimism.

Rex squares his shoulders and exhales slowly before speaking, “Is that all, Commander?”

 _“Yes, Captain.”_ Thorn responds, _“Good night.”_

The commlink stops flashing, leaving Rex in his dark office. It feels like the walls are closing in on him.

“Snap out of it, Captain.” He mutters, wraps his hands around his skull and tries to compress the growing headache away.

She’s alive, that’s all that matters. Injured or not, _Ahsoka Tano_ will always be _Ahsoka Tano_. Nothing could change her, not even this. She’s stronger than any other soldier he’s ever met- even stronger than himself. She’ll get through this; he knows she will.

Now, he just has to deliver the news to his men.

* * *

"We’ve concluded Kenobi suffered an acute stress-induced cardiomyopathy- which has similar symptoms to a heart attack.” Healer Tyson tells Mace and Yoda after they move Obi-Wan into a recovery room. "Triggered by intense emotional distress, _and_ the vital suppressor he took several hours ago." He glares at them accusingly.

" _That's_ Council business." Mace admonishes.

"It’s _illegal_.” Tyson lets out a frustrated sigh, “We'll run tests through the night and keep him under observation.”

"How long will it take him to recover?" Mace asks, both concerned about the mission and his friend. He's never seen Obi-Wan in so much pain before.

"The enlarged left ventricle of his heart should reduce on its own over the next few days." The Healer's mouth twists, "He'll need to take it easy once he's discharged and return for some tests."

In other words, Obi-Wan won't be able to continue his role in the mission.

"One last thing." Tyson crosses his arms over his chest, "I've just heard from Master Che who is operating on Padawan Tano. The damage to her leg is... _very_ severe. There's little Vokara can do."

The two Masters exchange a look. Tano is one of the most promising Padawans in the Order, and if Master Che can't fix her, then it must be serious. Her injury will no doubt distract Skywalker from his responsibilities to both the Order and the GAR. 

If he finds out Hardeen had been hired by the Council, he may lose complete faith in them. 

"What now, Master Yoda?" Mace asks once Tyson leaves, trying not to pace in the entrance to the Halls of Healing. Having Obi-Wan collapse on them had been distressing.

"Ignore, the threat to the Chancellor's life, we cannot." Yoda looks up at him, "Take on Obi-Wan's role in the mission, you must."

Mace raises a brow, "Pay out Hardeen to kill another Jedi? It'll be too obvious."

The green alien waves a hand, "Need to kill you, we do not. On a meditative retreat, we shall say you are on."

"Why couldn't we have sent Obi-Wan on a meditative retreat?" Mace questions.

Originally, he had been in complete favour of the plan to have Hardeen 'kill' Obi-Wan, but he knew there was the potential of things going wrong. Tano was lucky to survive the fall from the rooftop; what if Obi-Wan had fallen and _actually_ died?

"Relying on young Skywalker's reaction to seal the deal, we were. A reaction, given us, he has." Yoda explains, and Mace knows he’s referring to the clip circulating the _HoloNet_.

"Respected in the criminal world for harming Skywalker's Padawan, Hardeen will be. Affected our mission, his mistake did not."

"Yes, Master." Mace nods, "I'll undergo the procedure tonight. We'll get Skywalker to arrest the fake Hardeen as planned." 

Yoda hums, "Find out about this mission, he cannot.”

"I agree." That’s the worst thing that could possibly happen.

He can only imagine how Skywalker will react to their plan. Hopefully, Tano’s injuries will keep him occupied enough to ignore Obi-Wan’s absence, as well as his own.

* * *

Obi-Wan peeps an eye open when his commlink starts flashing on his bedside table. Disorientated, he sluggishly pulls the device to his hand with the Force and fumbles with the buttons, “Kenobi ‘ere…”

Force, he feels exhausted. He should’ve just ignored his comm and kept sleeping. Healer Tyson injected him with something that made his chest stop hurting, but it’s also made his mind go all fuzzy.

It’s kind of nice, just feeling like he’s floating.

 _“General?”_ Captain Rex- he recognises. _“Sir, are you alright?”_

“I’m fine, Captain.” Obi-Wan tries to force some power into his voice, “What is it?”

_“Well, um, I’ve just heard from Commander Thorn.”_

Obi-Wan snaps his eyes open, suddenly remembering Hardeen and Ahsoka.

Sweet Force, Ahsoka must be in surgery right now!

_“Sir? Are you there?”_

The door opens, and Obi-Wan turns to see Healer Tyson enter his room. The Doctor glances at the comm in his hand and gives Obi-Wan a stern look.

“I’ll get back to you, Rex.” Obi-Wan says, clicking the device off before the Captain can protest.

“Anakin and Ahsoka’s clone Captain?” Tyson asks.

Obi-Wan nods meekly, “How is she?”

“Ahsoka’s still in surgery. I haven’t been updated in a little over an hour, but alarms haven’t started going off, so I assume it’s going well.” Tyson laughs at his joke, but Obi-Wan doesn’t find it very funny. “I want you to get at least eight more hours of rest.”

The Master frowns, “Why? I only collapsed.”

Tyson gives him a small smile, “Not exactly.” He steps up to his bedside, “Any reason you took a vital suppressor several hours ago? It’s not exactly the funniest prank on Ahsoka and Anakin to fake dying.”

Obi-Wan has to look away, “It was _nothing_ like that.” He sighs, knowing he can’t tell Tyson the _real_ reason why he took a vital suppressor. “It’s Council business; I’m not at the liberty to explain the reasons behind my actions.”

Tyson sucks on his teeth, “That’s what Windu said too.”

The Healer rolls his eyes at him, “Never mind, what’s done is done. In Basic, the vital suppressor reacted with the surge of adrenaline and cortisol in your system, and temporarily damaged your heart. It should repair itself in a few hours, but Master Che would like to keep you under observation.”

Panic floods Obi-Wan, “Did you tell Anakin?!”

His former student can’t find out about this, especially whilst Ahsoka is so severely injured.

Tyson chuckles, “No, you asked us not to just before you fell unconscious.” He catches Obi-Wan’s look of confusion. “It’s normal that you don’t remember; we injected you with some pretty strong drugs.”

Obi-Wan rubs his forehead with his fingertips, mumbles, “The mission… I need to go and-”

“You’re not going _anywhere_.” Tyson says firmly, pressing on Obi-Wan’s shoulder so he sinks back into the mattress. “I’ve already told Mace and Yoda that you aren’t to participate in any missions until you’ve been discharged by Master Che. If I were you, Obi-Wan, I’d listen to the people concerned with your health and get some rest; everything else can be sorted later.”

Tyson leaves no room for argument. Obi-Wan sighs, resting his head back against the pillow as the Healer checks a few machines around him before exiting the room.

How could he have been so stupid? Ahsoka’s the one who might need her leg amputated and the Doctors are wasting their time worrying about him.

Force, he’s so exhausted. How long has it been since they left the restaurant? Four hours? Five?

He needs to contact Rex again- so the clone won’t worry himself into a panic attack- but Obi-Wan doesn’t have the strength for a conversation, not now.

He holds the commlink to his lips and hits record: “Captain, apologies for not getting back to you.” There’s a long pause as he suddenly doesn’t know what to say. “Ahsoka’s fine… as far as I know. Um, I can’t be contacted for a while.”

Kriff, Obi-Wan! That sounds so ambiguous!

“Rex,” he sighs, breaking his ‘General Kenobi’ composure, “I need you to keep an eye on Anakin for a bit. I’m worried about him and…” _think, think, think,_ “and I have other things that require my attention.” He sighs again, frustrated at himself. “Speak soon, Captain.”

* * *

As much as Coric tries to pretend to be fine, his knees are still shaking.

Rex has been in his office for over a while- a _long_ while. Every man in the 501st is watching the door with apprehension; nobody dares to blink or even breathe too deeply.

 _Hope for the best and prepare for the worst_ , he tells himself, over and over.

Commander Tano’s strong and brave; she’ll be fine. Coric has seen her through nearly all of her twenty-four battlefield injuries over the past few years, and never once has she shown any sign of weakness. Even during the Blue Shadow Virus mess when she was on the brink of death, she held her composure.

The boys in blue don’t deserve their Jedi, especially the cheerful Togruta who turned up out of nowhere and learned their names, faces and personalities overnight. They don’t deserve her, and she doesn’t deserve to have to spend her childhood fighting a war that has _nothing_ to do with her.

She didn’t ask to become a Jedi, and she _certainly_ didn’t ask to become Skywalker’s Padawan. Most Jedi- besides Kenobi- try to stay as far away from the reckless Knight as possible. Not only has Ahsoka found herself a friend in her Master, but she’s also found herself running headfirst into danger at least once a week.

Why the Council put their younger generations on the front lines, Coric will never know. Imagine putting clone cadets on the battlefield- it would be considered child abuse. Of course, it’s alright if the Jedi Council does it.

The door to Rex’s office slides open, revealing the Captain. Coric stands from where he was perched on a table, scans Rex’s face for a sign, but the man is unreadable.

“Commander Tano is alright.” Rex states, and Coric feels lightheaded from relief. The tension in the room drops down a few notches.

“And?” Coric asks suspiciously. Rex wouldn’t have spent so much time inside his office if their Commander only had a scratch or two.

The Captain swallows, “She won’t be joining us on the field for a while. Her most serious injury is her leg.” Coric’s stomach clenches. “Commander Thorn is under the impression it will not heal and will therefore be removed.”

Silence rains as the news sinks in.

As a medic, Coric was half-expecting Commander Tano to be permanently injured. He catches Kix’s eyes and knows the junior had the same foresight.

Unfortunately, Ahsoka will join the hundreds of clones who have limbs amputated.

 _Fortunately_ , Ahsoka’s a Jedi, and thus, she won’t be discarded as a clone could be.

His other brothers weren’t expecting this news, and their expressions range from heartbroken to enraged. Coric sighs, looks back at Rex’s stony expression; this news must have hit him hard.

No clone is closer to Ahsoka than her Captain.

“So, will she not be our Commander anymore?” Tup asks quietly, directing his question at Rex.

His intentions are nothing but pure- probably brought on by his knowledge that all disabled clones are discharged from duty and sent to Kamino for ‘care’. Despite the innocence of his question, the weight of his words forces Rex to look away at the wall.

It’s up to Coric- Captain’s Second and the most senior medic in Torrent- to deal with the men’s doubts if Rex can’t.

“Trooper,” he says sternly, drawing everyone’s eyes to him, “remember our General- the _best_ General in the GAR- is also an amputee. Lost limb or not, Commander Tano’s a fighter through and through.”

He looks directly at Rex, “If you think she’s going to become any less of a soldier- _or_ a CO- because of this, then I suggest you take a good kriffing look at yourself in the mirror and ask where your loyalty lies. Anyone who doubts her- in _my_ books- is committing treason.”

He takes a breath to calm himself, lets his words soak in. Having their beloved Commander seriously injured is a lot for these men to take in, but that isn’t an excuse to start questioning her abilities.

Coric looks at Tup, “Have I made myself clear?”

“Crystal.” Tup nods furiously, mortified he even raised his doubts in the first place. “Apologies, sir.”

“You’re forgiven, Tup.” They don’t need any bad blood in the Company, especially not now their superglue of a Commander is out of action. “Now, everyone, go to bed. Hopefully, we’ll know more about the situation tomorrow.”

The clones scatter, knowing Coric is completely serious and not in the mood for anyone’s attitudes. Even Jesse slides away without protesting.

Coric and Rex are left in the common area, and the medic steps closer to the shocked Captain, “Are you alright, sir?”

Rex blinks, not meeting Coric’s eyes. “Fine, Sergeant, just… digesting.”

Coric breaks command etiquette and puts a hand on Rex’s shoulder. “She’ll be _fine_ , Rex.”

The Captain visibly swallows, “I know, I’m just anxious to hear from the General tomorrow.”

Aren’t they all?

Coric’s gentle smile doesn’t fade. “You should get some rest, Captain. For all we know, we might be chasing down our Commander’s attacker tomorrow, and we can’t let her or the General down.”

At the suggestion of hunting down the scum who hurt Ahsoka, Rex nods, “Make sure you follow your own advice, Coric.”

“Yes, sir.”


	5. Chapter 5

Anakin’s pushing twenty-six hours without sleep when Ahsoka is moved into a recovery room. He doesn't rest even after she's finally knocked out with sedatives. He can't bear leaving her side.

What if the bounty hunter comes back to finish the job? Or another criminal gets word that Ahsoka's injured and tries to sneak an attack? He can't afford the risk. Besides, he _needs_ to be with her when she wakes up.

He must be the one who tells her the operation to save her leg wasn't successful.

He knew the look on Master Che's face when it dawned that Ahsoka's leg was unsalvageable. Ultimately, as her legal guardian, Anakin had to give permission for Ahsoka's left knee and everything below it to be amputated, and he made that decision with her best interests in mind. 

That doesn't mean he can't be upset about it. Kriffing bounty hunter.

The Council may claim it's an obvious sign of attachment, but Ahsoka will need his support when he tells her the bad news. He couldn’t care less what they think though. Ahsoka wouldn't even _be_ in this position if _they_ hadn't called an emergency meeting. 

Kriffing Council.

"Ani..." He turns towards the door at his wife’s call. He didn’t sense her enter, but he’s been blocking himself from the Force since Ahsoka’s pain eventually became too much for him to handle.

"Padmé." Anakin stands from the plastic chair, embracing her beside Ahsoka's sleeping form. He burrows his face into her neck, inhaling the scent of home.

"Thank you for coming." He whispers as they pull back to press their lips together in a short and bittersweet kiss.

"How is she? I came as soon as..." Padmé turns to look at Ahsoka, her breath hitching in her throat, "Oh, poor sweetheart..."

Ahsoka's flat on the bed, still strapped down to ensure her spine heals properly. His Padawan will be none too pleased about having to wear a brace for the next few months, but it's better than being paralysed. 

There’re bandages around her forehead, using bacta to heal the cut on the back of her head. She narrowly missed getting concussed, but it's still a concerning injury. All head injuries are bad- especially considering she's a Togruta.

The bandages wrapped around her shoulder are just visible under her gown. There's nerve damage there as well- _of course_ , there kriffing is- so her arm is in a sling across her chest.

Her leg- what's left of it- is the part he hates to see the most.

Padmé puts a hand over her mouth when she sees Ahsoka's thigh ending in a stump against the white sheets. The bottom- where her knee used to be- is nothing more than a twisted knot of skin underneath thick bandages.

"Oh, Force, Ani..." He looks at his wife, sees tears brim in her eyes.

"All from a blaster bolt to the shoulder." Anakin says, his eyes turning to Ahsoka's somewhat peaceful expression beneath the bandages and a tube feeding oxygen into her nostrils. "I am going to _kill_ the bounty hunter for doing this to her."

For doing this to _his_ Snips.

Padmé's hand intertwines with his as they look down at the girl who's practically a daughter to them.

"I brought flowers." Padmé raises the bouquet of colourful flora, and Anakin feels himself smile for the first time since the wretched bounty hunter showed up, "Ahsoka's favourites, from Shilli."

"She'll love them." Anakin says as Padmé places the bouquet on the small bedside table. 

"I can watch over her for an hour." She smiles gently, "No offense, Ani, but you stink."

After the operation, he didn’t want to leave Ahsoka to make a trip to his quarters, so he changed right back into his blood-stained and dirt-ridden tunic. It's a stark contrast to Ahsoka's crisp, clean hospital gown which is far too big and looks like it's about to swallow her whole.

He grips the edge of his tunic and sniffs, nearly gagging at how awful he smells. Ahsoka will not like that smell when she wakes up. His fears about someone attacking her return to the front of his mind...

_Trust your wife to watch over your student, Chosen One._

"I won't be long." He promises, kissing Padmé's hand and then releasing her. "Call me if-"

"I will." Padmé cuts him off before he leaves the room.

After showering, Anakin feels a million times better. 

Ahsoka’s alive.

Amputated leg or not, she's still here, and that's what matters most, even if he still wants to tear the bounty hunter's throat out.

Rako Hardeen; Anakin found out his name. Master Yoda gave him a direct order to arrest this notorious criminal within the next twelve hours, and Anakin will happily comply.

He’s heading back to Ahsoka's recovery room- the sun just setting on Coruscant- with newfound optimism when something stops him.

During his time in the fresher, Anakin opened himself back up to the Force. With Ahsoka being on the heavy-duty painkillers, she isn't projecting pain through their Force bond anymore.

Upon opening the Force, Anakin has a very sudden realisation.

He hasn't seen Obi-Wan since they arrived at the Temple the night before. He had a duty to report the incident to the Council, but the report surely didn't take all night. Usually, if he or Ahsoka are hurt, Obi-Wan will stay nearby- if only to comfort the one who isn't on the hospital bed.

Now, with the Force, Anakin senses his Master's presence in the recovery room beside Ahsoka's.

He doesn’t hesitate from opening the door, about to demand a reason why Obi-Wan is hiding away whilst Ahsoka is about to wake up to the news that she’s lost her leg, when he sees his former Master laying on the hospital bed in a gown similar to Ahsoka’s.

Dread settles in his gut, the same feeling he got when Ahsoka fell off the roof.

Obi-Wan is still, curled in the foetal position and seemingly asleep except Anakin hears the heart monitor pick up slightly and his Master’s eyelids twitch.

Reassured Obi-Wan isn’t on life-support or in a coma, Anakin takes a few steps forwards. It isn’t the first time he’s found the elder Jedi in the Halls of Healing without knowing any context, and he often does the same himself, so he isn’t particularly offended, only confused.

“I know you’re awake, old man.” Anakin says once he reaches the side of Obi-Wan’s gurney, “Want to tell me how you ended up in here?”

No reaction. Obi-Wan’s Force-signature is swirling with apprehension and nervousness. What’s he so worried about?

Anakin sighs and picks up the datapad clipped to the bed, hears his Master say, “That’s patient confidentiality.”

He scoffs in response, "Patient confidentiality, my shebs. I'm practically your next of kin." In his peripheral, he sees Obi-Wan peek his eyes open at him. "What is it? Stray blaster bolt wound? Busted ankle?" 

Obi-Wan remains silent as Anakin locates the information he’s looking for on the screen. It seems he was admitted to the Halls of Healing the night before, but _why_? 

Anakin pauses, "What the kriff is an acute stress-induced cardiomyopathy?”

* * *

Obi-Wan wishes the Healers discharged Obi-Wan in the morning so he could recover alone in his quarters and not have to tell Anakin about how he ended up in the Halls of Healing.

He can’t get out of the truth now.

_Best not to prolong it, wise one._

“My heart wasn’t very well, Anakin.” He says slowly, as if he’s speaking to a child, “It’s nothing to worry about.”

“This thing says the Healer was called to you thirty minutes after we got here with Ahsoka,” Anakin looks up to him, a blank expression on his face. “Obi-Wan, did you have a heart attack?”

“No.” Obi-Wan shakes his head frantically, “Not that, Anakin, not-”

“Really?” Anakin cuts him off, frustration seeping into his tone. “Because from what I’m reading here, it sounds like you did.”

“The symptoms are similar to that of a heart attack.” Obi-Wan tries to explain, but Anakin is in no mood to be challenged.

The datapad shatters as it hits the wall.

Obi-Wan winces, looking at the glass scattered across the floor and back at his brother, "Anakin, it wasn’t a heart attack. I promise, I’m fine.”

“No!” Anakin snaps. "I nearly lost Ahsoka last night, Master! What if I lost you too?!"

_He is scared of losing you, wise one; why can you not see that?_

Obi-Wan's expression softens. Anakin has always struggled with losing people close to him. Master Qui-Gon, his mother...

He lives in constant fear of his loved ones dying. "I'm alive, Anakin."

Anakin turns his head away, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Hearing the pain in Anakin's voice is painful, "I didn't want you to worry about Ahsoka _and_ myself, Anakin."

Anakin drags both hands down his face, “We wouldn’t be in this mess if the kriffing Council didn’t call an emergency meeting.”

"How's Ahsoka?" It’s the only thing Obi-Wan can say to break the silence.

When he'd asked Master Che about his Grandpadawan, she told him to worry about himself, which didn’t reassure him at all.

"She lost her leg, everything from the knee down." Anakin starts before their mutual Padawan's panic floods the Force. Anakin is out of the room before Obi-Wan can let the guilt sink in.

Ahsoka has been made an amputee, and it’s entirely Obi-Wan’s fault.

He should’ve _never_ agreed to the Rako Hardeen mission.

“I’m so sorry, Ahsoka.” He whispers to nobody.

* * *

She's falling. Free-falling. 

This time, there's no Anakin or Obi-Wan and the distance to the ground seems infinite. Ahsoka tries to scream and curl into a ball, sending waves of pain through her aching body. 

She's going to die.

"It's alright, Ahsoka, you're alright!" A soft, angelic voice reaches her. It sounds like... her mother? Maybe it’s the Daughter who saved her on Mortis is welcoming her back into the everlasting Force.

_This is not the end, young one._

"Snips, open your eyes." That isn't her mother.

Something soft and warm wraps around her mind, lulling her into calm. She relaxes into the familiar presence she can't quite put a name or a face to. All she knows is it's someone safe, someone she trusts and loves.

Ahsoka stills and opens her eyes cautiously. There's a face not far in front of her. Shaggy brown hair, deep blue eyes- swimming with concern- and a pinkish scar. 

"Master..." She says, not expecting her voice to come out so weak. 

"It's me, Snips." The man takes her right hand between his. Flesh and metal. Why can’t she feel much in her left arm? Why does her head pound? Where is she?

“Anakin.” His name slips past her lips naturally.

She tries to lift her head to get a better look at her surroundings. She needs to know what happened. Why does she feel like she's falling? Why does her body ache so much? 

Two firm yet gentle hands press the sides of her face, stopping her from sitting up. Another face comes into view- a female, this time- and she speaks like the motherly angel from her dream. "You should stay still for a while, Ahsoka.”

She squints at the lady’s face, eyes narrowing on any distinguishable features. Brown hair pulled into a bun, dark brown eyes, and the gentlest smile Ahsoka has ever seen. 

"Senator Amidala?" Ahsoka tries to think clearly, but all her thoughts are jumbled, "What... What happened?" Padmé usually isn't there when she wakes up.

"You were shot by a bounty hunter last night." Anakin says, appearing above her when Padmé moves back, "Do you remember?"

"I..." Ahsoka furrows her brow. "I remember falling." She looks up at Anakin, "Did I fall?"

He nods, "You fell off a rooftop."

The sensation of free-falling washes over her again and Ahsoka shudders. "But you're safe now," Anakin assures her. "You're in the Halls of Healing. They brought you out of theatre about eight hours ago."

Theatre?

Anakin notices her worried look and starts to explain, "You landed on your leg badly, and there was a problem with your back as well." 

Ahsoka closes her eyes, trying to scan her body for injuries like the clone medics taught her to do after an explosion. _Try to move all your fingers and toes_ , Coric ingrained into their heads.

She starts with her fingers, curling each one in turn. The more time goes on, the less her head pounds, which is a small victory. It's still a fierce pain- most likely a head injury. Kriffing montrals.

"My arm..." She exclaims when she can't move her the fingers on her left hand so well.

"It's temporary nerve damage, Ahsoka." Padmé explains, resting a hand on Ahsoka's forearm that's in a sling across her chest. "That's where the sniper hit you, in the shoulder."

Nodding- which is more like the barest tilt of her head- Ahsoka carries on her self-inspection. Her lower back feels... _strange_ \- like there's something foreign there. She touches her side with her right hand, feeling plastic.

"Master Che was worried about your spine healing properly." Anakin begins to explain before she can even ask. "You'll have to wear a brace for a while, until your vertebrae heal."

She’s annoyed at the new restriction from her hips to her breastbone, but it’s probably better than being paralysed.

She flexes every toe on her right foot and moves onto her other one, only to come to a complete halt.

* * *

Anakin exchanges a worried look with Padmé as Ahsoka's brow furrows ever so slightly. She’s been trained to check herself for injuries, and now is no different, even if everything is being processed in her mind like sludge.

_She knows, Chosen One._

"Master." Ahsoka opens her eyes and he leans over her, narrowing his gaze at the tears brimming in her eyes. "Tell me, please."

He doesn't want to tell her the truth. An amputee himself, Anakin knows how Ahsoka feels right now. He doesn't want to cause her any emotional pain on top of the physical stuff, but he _has_ to tell her. 

He can’t keep her in the dark like Obi-Wan did to him.

Padmé rests her hand on his elbow, giving it a gentle squeeze in encouragement.

"Master Che tried her hardest, young one, but she wasn't able to save your leg." He keeps his voice low, mindful of her sensitive hearing from the head injury.

Silence.

He was prepared for sobbing, screaming, or even a laugh of denial, but he wasn't prepared for _nothing_. Ahsoka only reacts by moving her gaze to the window on her left. After several seconds, tears begin to fall down her cheeks, some wetting his glove.

She's weeping.

"Oh, Ahsoka..." Padmé leans forwards, encompassing the girl in an awkward yet compassionate hug. Ahsoka doesn't budge an inch, "I'm so sorry."

Not a word.

Anakin swallows hard. Ahsoka has only acted like this once in her entire Apprenticeship, and that was when he told her about her death on Mortis. 

It’s the same reaction he gets from civilians when the clones find the bodies of loved ones.

"Snips." He says when Padmé pulls away, using a stern yet gentle tone because he knows how well it works on Ahsoka when she spirals.

"They're going to kick me out." Ahsoka says, her eyes closing as more tears slip between her lashes.

'They' being the Council.

Sighing, Anakin removes his glove and touches her cheek with his metal fingers. "They didn't kick _me_ out, Snips."

She scoffs, "You're the Chosen One, not some mediocre Padawan."

* * *

Ahsoka tries to not let her emotions control her, but how else is she supposed to respond to being told that she’s lost a limb?

She keeps her eyes closed when Anakin goes quiet, although she hears him murmur to the Senator, "Let me handle this."

The scent of perfume fills her nose as Padmé leans down to kiss her forehead, "I'll visit you soon, Ahsoka."

She doesn't reply, _daring_ Anakin to scold her for being rude, but he doesn't.

_He understands what you are going through, young one._

The door closes, leaving her and her Master, although right now, she just wants to be left alone. 

She doesn't have a leg. How is she supposed to fight a war without the ability to walk, let alone run? No clones _ever_ return to the front lines after their legs get blown off. There's a reason why they're deemed unfit for duty.

"You're not some mediocre Padawan, Ahsoka." Anakin says from beside her- he must have sat down. "Not to me, and not to the Council. You're the most dedicated Padawan in the Order."

He prods at her shields, but she keeps him blocked out. He's only trying to help, but no matter how many times he opens his mouth, her leg won't just grow back.

"You think I would _let them_ kick you out?" Anakin carries on, "You saved Obi-Wan's life-"

Ahsoka's eyes snap open and she lifts herself upright despite the pain, "Obi-Wan!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Anakin's hands are immediately on her shoulders as he tries to push her back down.

"Where's Obi-Wan?!" She demands, grabbing Anakin's wrists and staring into his eyes, "Is he alright?"

"He's fine, he's fine." He presses his metal forearm against her chest, "Stay down, Ahsoka, that's an order. Your vertebrae need to heal."

She lets him push her back down, the pain in her back easing as she lays flat again. "If he's fine, then why isn't he here?"

He sighs tiredly, pulling his fingers through is hair, "Just leave it, Snips, you've got enough on your plate without having to worry about what Obi-Wan's doing."

Before she can call him out for such a crappy excuse, Anakin's commlink beeps and he sighs, "It's Rex. Get some rest. I'll be back tomorrow morning, but I'll get Master Che to come and check on you now you're awake."

Great. Brilliant. Fabulous.

“Ahsoka,” she looks up at Anakin as he’s about to leave her room, “I know you’re upset and in a lot of pain, but I can’t even describe how relieved I am that you’re alive.”

Anakin’s never been a man of many words, so the final sentiment makes her heart flutter. Ahsoka presses her lips together, “Thanks, Master.”

Once the door closes, she slowly turns her head and sees the colourful flora on her bedside table. Padmé knows those are her favourites from her homeworld, and she smiles faintly before her eyes close again.

She can figure everything else out when she isn't in so much pain.

* * *

 _"I'll let the boys know Commander Tano is stable, General."_ Rex says, _"They've been really worried since the HoloNet showed a clip of her being loaded onto the Corrie Guard transport."_

"I'm sure she'll appreciate you and the guys giving her some company." Anakin replies, only half-focusing on the conversation as he flies his speeder. "She was pretty bummed about her leg, and I can't stay with her every second of the day." As much as he wants to.

 _"Leave it to us, sir."_ There's a hint of amusement in Rex's tone. _"Medbay entertainment is Torrent's speciality."_

Anakin can't help but laugh. Ahsoka won't be bored or depressed with their men spending some time with her. Knowing Rex, he’ll send her closest friends and maybe even sneak in a pack of Sabaac cards- she's getting good at that game.

_"If you don't mind me asking, sir, did the Council say how they found the sniper?"_

Anakin frowns, "Who cares? All that matters is they did."

 _"Of course, sir."_ Rex obviously notices the aggression in his tone, even over the comm. _"If you need any backup, you know who to call."_ Anakin should've known the 501st men will want justice for Ahsoka just as much as he does. _"Rex out."_

Anakin enters the bar Master Yoda tipped him to. His presence is intimidating enough to draw some attention, but he still ignites his lightsaber and uses a low voice, " _Where_ is Rako Hardeen?"

The bar tender snorts, "Back room."

Putting his lightsaber back on his belt, Anakin walks towards the door at the back of the bar, being cautious of a sneak attack at any second. With a wave of his hand, the door opens, revealing Hardeen laying on a bed, his back to Anakin.

Is he dead?

No, Anakin can feel his life through the Force.

He sniffs the air; Hardeen’s drunk.

Despicable.

Grabbing the man's jacket, Anakin turns him over to confirm his suspicion. Hardeen blinks wearily at him, "A Jedi? …I already shot a Jedi today, let me sleep."

Angrily, Anakin drags him upright, "Get up, you filth!"

He throws Hardeen against the wall, pinning his chest with his metal hand, "If it was up to me, I would kill you right here!" He really would. "Lucky for you, the girl you shot would rather see you _rot_ in jail." 

Hardeen tries to throw a lazy punch, but Anakin easily catches his fist, squeezing hard until he hears a pop and the scumbag squirms in his hold. It’s the _least_ he deserves after the pain he put Ahsoka through. 

_You are falling too far, Chosen One._

He leans close to the bounty hunter, “Try using your sniper now, hotshot.”

“Thought Jedi were supposed to be peaceful.” Hardeen murmurs, too drunk to crumble from the pain of his fingers being dislocated.

Anakin twists harder, hearing Hardeen’s wrist groan and the bounty hunter gasp. He wishes he could choke him, but he knows he wouldn’t be able to stop himself.

“I suggest you _don’t_ push my buttons, or else you may not make it to prison.”

It's times like this when he needs Ahsoka by his side to stop him from doing something he’ll regret later.

"Now, let's go, you coward." Anakin pulls Hardeen away from the wall, not giving him time to cough as he tightly restrains his arms behind his back to cause pain and to keep a secure grip on the bastard. "Before I deal with you myself.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **T/W: Mentions of prison r*pe and death penalty**

Mace grunts as the clone medic pulls even tighter on the bandage around his wrist. It still throbs- Skywalker has quite the grip. He makes a mental note to have words with Yoda about the Knight’s poor ability to not let his emotions control him.

If Depa was ever shot by a bounty hunter during her Apprenticeship, Mace wouldn't _dare_ harm the person responsible. It isn't the Jedi way to respond to violence with violence. 

It's Skywalker's way- apparently.

Though, he thinks the supposed Chosen One was holding back when he arrested him. The Force had swirled around him in waves of rage, and Mace honestly feels safer now he’s in the detention facility with swarms of criminals- _away_ from Skywalker.

This could be a new crime deterrent; threatening people that Jedi General Anakin Skywalker will be the one arresting them. Crime rates would _drop_ impressively.

The medic secures the bandage with one final sharp tug and huffs, pushing two pills into Mace's- _Hardeen's_ \- palm. He looks down at the two pinkish pills, "A Jedi broke my wrist and the best you can give me is ibuprofen."

Speaking in Hardeen's voice feels so wrong.

The medic scoffs, "You're lucky we're treating you in the first place."

Made swallows the pills dry because he knows no water will be offered if he asks. "I've been in Separatist prisons and received better treatment." 

The medic looks him dead in the eye, and Mace never realised how intimidating clones could be. "You dared to harm Commander Tano, Hardeen. Don't expect any guard here to go easy on you."

Ah, of course, Padawan Tano is an idol amongst clone troopers- even Ponds was a fan. Mace has no idea why they hold her in such high regard. Sure, Tano is a good warrior and leader, but she's also immature, disobedient, and terrible at refraining from attachments. 

Sounds like a certain Knight.

He laughs, staying in character, “If I had killed her, what would you clone troopers do to me?”

The medic squirms but quickly composes himself, “I know a few men who would pay you a visit in the fresher if Commander Tano hadn’t survived your attack.”

It’s Mace’s turn to feel uncomfortable. He scowls, understanding completely what the clone is implying.

“Don’t panic,” the clone laughs, standing up from the plastic chair. “You wouldn’t have to live with the memories for too long. General Skywalker is good friends with Chancellor Palpatine; you’d have a secure booking with the electric chair if the Commander was killed by your hand.”

* * *

“Ani!” He all but collapses onto Padmé as she opens the door for him. “Ani, what is it?”

“Long day.” He says, wrapping his arms around her back and holding her tight to his chest, allowing her presence to soothe the hurricane in his mind. “Just a long day.”

When Anakin finished handing Hardeen over to the guards at the detention facility, he headed to Padmé’s apartment, knowing he was too angry to spend the night at Ahsoka’s bedside.

Hardeen’s lucky Anakin snapped his wrist and not his neck.

Padmé tilts her head back, inviting him into a kiss. Anakin happily joins their lips in an unbreakable seal, runs his flesh fingers through her hair. She’s in her nightgown; it’s nearly midnight.

She pulls away and places a hand on his cheek, “How’s Ahsoka?”

He exhales, tightening his grip on her. “Depressed.” 

Padmé’s smile softens, “Healer Che said it’s normal, Ani.”

“Doesn’t mean I have to put up with it.” He sighs, taking her hand and walking them to the couch which he promptly drops onto. “She’s got no appetite, Padmé, and she’s not sleeping more than four hours a night.”

“It’s the medicine.” Padmé tells him, resting a hand on his chest as she sits beside him. “She’ll bounce back when she has recovered enough to be out of bed. I’ll go and see her tomorrow. You should stay here and have a lie in.”

“No,” he shakes his head, appalled with the thought of not seeing Ahsoka first thing, “I need to-”

“Anakin.”

He wants to protest further, but Padmé uses her stern voice and the exhaustion is playing heavily on his mind. From arresting Hardeen to finding out Obi-Wan has been taken ill, he knows it won’t be long before he starts snapping at everyone around him.

He _cannot_ \- under _any_ circumstances- snap at Ahsoka.

_You are no use dead on your feet, Chosen One._

“Alright, you win.” _Like always._ He wraps an arm around his wife’s shoulders and presses a kiss to her forehead. “I feel better now Hardeen is behind bars.”

“Just wait, love,” Padmé leans her head against his shoulder, “Ahsoka will recover soon, and things will go back to the way they were before, I promise.”

Anakin nods- believing her. He’ll wait.

* * *

Inside the Halls of Healing, Ahsoka’s trying to sleep. Keyword: _trying_.

Anakin isn’t here, and whilst she doesn’t want to appear needy, she misses him. Pain is still present across her entire body, and Master Che said they can’t afford to put her on any stronger medications.

They offered to do a healing trance on her, but Ahsoka politely refused. Her head is a swarm of negative emotions right now, and she doesn’t need someone prodding around her thoughts.

She needs to talk to someone- _anyone_. Togrutas aren’t good at social isolation.

The 501st medics know this and always make sure she isn’t put in a private room to avoid the painful loneliness. Sometimes, if she has to stay in the medbay overnight, Coric pulls up a chair to her bedside and does his reports whilst she sleeps. Now, she’s completely alone, and it’s deadly quiet.

It’s far, _far_ too quiet.

With her right hand, Ahsoka reaches for her bedside, pushing past the resistance of the back brace. Master Che said it needs to stay on for eight to twelve weeks, but Ahsoka thinks that’s excessive. Her back feels fine if a bit sore.

She fumbles for her commlink which Anakin left there along with her lightsabers, even though she doesn’t know if she’ll be able to use them if she has to. Her fingers catch the cool metal of the commlink, but then she feels it drop off the bedside table.

“Kriff,” she mutters, hearing it hit the hard floor. Opening her palm in the general direction she dropped it in, Ahsoka accesses the Force and pulls the comm into her fist, mutters “ _Please_ , don’t be broken.”

The Force must’ve heard her because the commlink bleeps as she dials in a memorised frequency.

It barely rings twice, _“Ahsoka?”_

“Rex.” A smile grows on her mouth at the sound of his voice. “Why are you still up?”

_“I stayed awake in case the General needed any backup. Are you al-”_

“What do you mean ‘backup’?” Ahsoka asks, her heart hammering in her chest. She thought Anakin was finally looking after himself tonight, not going off on missions.

 _“To arrest Hardeen; didn’t you know?”_ No, she didn’t. _“Are you alright, Ahsoka? I’ve been so worried!”_

Her head spins: the Council sent Anakin- of _all_ people- to arrest Hardeen? Did Obi-Wan go with him? She hopes he did.

_“Ahsoka?”_

She shakes her head, “Yes, Rex, I’m fine. Well, not really,” she winces, realising how stupid she sounds, “They had to amputate my leg.”

 _“I heard.”_ Rex’s voice is hard. _“Thorn said you fell six stories and hurt your back as well.”_

Six stories?

“You know more about what happened than I do, Rexster.” She laughs.

 _“Trust me, Ahsoka, I was in the dark until Thorn called me.”_ Rex replies, his tone softening. _“I tried to call General Kenobi last night, but he was very secretive.”_

Ahsoka pauses; that’s unlike Obi-Wan to withhold information from Rex. He knows how close the Captain is to herself and Anakin.

“I think he’s a bit shook up.” Ahsoka places the commlink on her chest so she can lay her hand over her forehead, “The sniper was aiming for him originally.”

He chuckles, _“Let me guess, you jumped in front of him and took the shot?”_

“He didn’t have his lightsaber ignited.” She says, recounting the fuzzy memories from last night, “If I hadn’t got there in time, the bounty hunter would’ve killed him.”

“Obi-Wan!” She hears Anakin scream, making her jolt in her bed; what the kriff?

“I’ve got him, go!” That sounds like her.

With great difficulty, Ahsoka pulls herself upright by the rails off her bed and looks around her dark room, panic growing in her chest.

 _“Ahsoka?”_ Rex asks through her commlink. _“You alright?”_

“I’ll call you back tomorrow, Rex.” She whispers before leaning over her bed, trying to find the Healer Call button. It’s around the headboard somewhere.

Her eyes cross as a scene invades her mind, and she’s momentarily transported from her hospital room to the street where she saw Obi-Wan was about to be shot.

_She sees herself running to an overturned pile of boxes, jumping over the edge and scooping up the body of-_

_Oh Force._

_Obi-Wan._

_Blood’s smeared over the left-hand side of his cream tunic, staining her hand as she attempts to put pressure on the wound. Obi-Wan’s head slumps into the bend of her elbow, his cheeks losing their colour._

_She presses two fingers to the side of his neck, feels nothing but stillness._

_Anakin jumps down and runs to their side, “How is he?”_

_She looks up at her Master, not able to say the words out loud._

_“Obi-Wan.” He collapses to his knees and starts shaking Obi-Wan’s shoulders like the elder Jedi is a rag doll. “Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan!”_

“Padawan Tano, wake up!”

She jerks back to reality with a large gasp.

The lights are on- it’s so bright- and hands are all over her arms and head, holding her down. Ahsoka pulls out of their hold, inhales sharply and screams out, “Obi-Wan!”

There’s a prick on her bicep and then two stronger hands holding her down. Ahsoka tries to kick and thrust, hears someone shouting, “Can we get some help in here, please!”

“Obi-Wan!” She gets out again, her voice slurring as the sedative starts to work immediately, “Master! Obi-Wan, please!”

“Ahsoka, Ahsoka, listen to me,” a soothing male voice reaches her ringing montrals. A hand is on the crown of her head, brushing over the skin, “Listen to me; focus on my voice.”

“Obi-Wan,” she whimpers, her limbs feeling more and more like lead with every passing second.

“I know, he’s alright,” the man promises, “Just take deep breaths; don’t fight the medicine. We just want to help you calm down.”

She turns her head to look at the strange man, squinting at his unfamiliar features, “I’m Healer Tyson, Master Che’s second-in-command. I’m doing the night shift.”

She tries to settle, reminding herself that she’s safe in the Halls of Healing. What she saw was horrific, but it wasn’t real- none of it.

“It was just a nightmare, Ahsoka.” Tyson says, reading her thoughts.

_No, young one. It was a vision of what was supposed to happen before you changed fate._

She shivers, sinking further into the mattress as some of the hands restraining her loosen their grip. Tyson stays put, stroking the crown of her head in slow motions. It’s oddly calming.

“That’s it,” he praises quietly, “just breathe.”

* * *

Tyson doesn’t leave until the zolpidem is completely absorbed in Ahsoka’s blood system. Nightmares and insomnia are common problems for survivors of trauma, and he can’t think of anything more traumatic than falling off the top of a building and not losing consciousness.

He gets a Junior Healer to dim the lights, making it easier for Ahsoka to fall back asleep. He can tell she’s still fighting the sedative, but it eventually overpowers her. He’ll need to tell Vokara about this; her nightmare got pretty violent and it took four members of staff to hold her down.

When he leaves her room at last, he realises that one of her Masters is already aware of what happened, probably because he was in the room next door whilst Ahsoka screamed out his name at the top of her lungs.

“You’re supposed to be resting,” Tyson says, taking Obi-Wan’s elbow and leading him back into his own room. “Ahsoka’s fine; it was just a nightmare.”

“What about?” Obi-Wan asks.

“That’s for Ahsoka to know and to share when she feels comfortable to.” Tyson says plainly, nodding at Obi-Wan bed, “Now, back to sleep or else I’ll sedate you too.”

“You _sedated_ her?”

“It was a violent nightmare.” He explains, sighing, “Nothing we couldn’t handle.”

“How much longer do I have to stay here?” Obi-Wan whines, sliding under his duvet, “I feel fine.”

“You’ll be staying until Master Che says so.” Tyson offers, reaching for the light switch, “Goodnight, Obi-Wan.”

* * *

Mace is sent for breakfast, or whatever the slop on his plate is meant to be. He pushes the pain of his wrist away to focus on the mission on hand. He needs to get close to Eval.

“That’s him?” A Karkarodon comes over, leaning over the table in Mace’s face. He turns away from the awful stench of his fishy breath. “That’s the one who shot Skywalker’s pet?”

Mace nearly laughs- _Skywalker’s pet_.

It’s true. Tano would go to the end of the universe for Skywalker, and he would do the same for her. They’re one of the cringey Master and Padawan duos, like Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan used to be.

“He doesn’t look so tough.” The shark-faced prisoner carries on, drinking from Mace’s cup. Gross; does he even know how many germs can be passed from- “The little bitch survived, after all.”

Mace bites down hard on his fork. He doesn’t like Tano, but he has a bit more respect for her than that.

“This food tastes terrible.” He says before stabbing his fork into the Karkarodon’s hand. The prisoner lets out a roar in pain, and Mace finally understands what Skywalker felt when he broke his wrist. 

Satisfaction.

He isn’t Mace Windu of the Jedi Order right now; he’s Rako Hardeen, Marksman of Concord Dawn.

He reaches out and grabs the prisoner’s gills lining the side of his head, pulling him close enough so he can speak at a volume only the Karkarodon can hear. “Maybe _you’d_ taste better.”

“Hey! What’s going on down there!” A guard yells from the raised platform.

“Sorry,” Mace says, releasing the Karkarodon, “just playing with my food.”

The shark-faced creature pulls the fork from his hand and backs away, shouts, “You’re crazy!”

Mace smirks.

It isn’t long until Moralo Eval slips into the seat opposite him. “Rako Hardeen, your reputation proceeds you.”

Mace purposefully ignores him as he carries on, “I’m curious. When you shot that sweet, little Jedi, was it for money or revenge?”

“I don’t know.” Mace shrugs, trying not to scowl at the fetish these prisoners have for Tano. “Guess I was bored.”

Intel told the Jedi Council that Eval killed his mother when he was only a boy _because he was bored._

Eval chuckles, “Try the sauce,” he pushes the bottle towards him, “it makes that slop almost tolerable.”

The evil mastermind stands, “I’ll be seeing you, Mr Hardeen.”


	7. Chapter 7

"No running, no jumping- don’t even _think_ about sparring- no acrobatics, no..." Master Che drones on as Obi-Wan secures his belt. 

He would think that after five days of constant tests and monitoring, Master Che would be content with discharging Obi-Wan. _No_ , she has to make things difficult for him.

"I think I've got it, Master." He says to stop her never-ending lecture. Her blue face is darkening as she rambles on, "Thank you for your hospitality."

"Hm." She crosses her arms over her chest, scowls, "Don't end up in here again, Kenobi, and I'd say we're even."

Obi-Wan steps out of his recovery room, takes a deep inhale of fresh air. A lot has changed since Hardeen was supposed to shoot him.

Windu took on the mission himself- and Anakin was given the satisfaction of arresting the Jedi Master in disguise as Hardeen. All Obi-Wan knows is that Windu has escaped prison alongside Cad Bane and Moralo Eval, and Windu's absence has been disguised 'officially' as a meditative retreat.

Anakin hasn't been told that Hardeen was hired by the Council. He’s found a new interest to keep him occupied: making Ahsoka the 'coolest prosthetic leg in the universe.'

The Padawan's recovery room is Obi-Wan's first destination upon discharge.

Ahsoka looks up when he lightly knocks on the ajar door to her room. She's sat on her bed with the top raised, an untouched bowl of soup sitting on a tray across her lap. Still in a hospital gown, she looks small and vulnerable, especially with all the monitors surrounding her.

"Master Kenobi." She greets him, nodding slightly as her Force-signature swirls with relief. Was she happy to see _him_ , of all people?

"You should be eating your food, young one, not playing with it." He says, entering the suite and shutting the door behind him. Every surface is adorned with flowers, platters of sweets and... flimsy cards? 

"The meds have made me lose my appetite." She says with a sign before noticing him looking around, "The, uh, guys found out I would be out of action for a while."

"How thoughtful of them." 

The men in the 501st truly adore Ahsoka. The only visitors _he_ had were Master Che and Anakin- not that he wanted others to see him in such a state, anyway. Master Che only came to lecture him and perform regular ECGs whilst Anakin would stay and talk, normally for only thirty minutes at a time.

_If your former Apprentice were in her position, wise one, you wouldn't want any distractions either._

He picks up one of the cards and reads out loud, "Dear Commander Tano. I am sorry to hear about your extensive injuries. Please contact me if you have any queries regarding your recovery. If it is alright with you, I would like to examine your vertebral body compression fracture for research. Best wishes, Sergeant Coric."

Ahsoka's smile is small, "Coric’s always been formal. Wolffe sighed his card off with 'Yours sincerely.'"

Obi-Wan’s surprised- even Commander Wolff sent her a card?

The next card he reads has a poorly drawn Togruta on the front- at least that's what he thinks it is. "Sir, it sucks that you won't be on the battlefield for a while. The Cap is going to be totally lost trying to fill your boots. Get well soon! Ridge." Obi-Wan frowns, "Signed with _two_ kisses and _two_ hugs."

“ _That’s_ what the ‘xoxo’ stands for?” Ahsoka poorly feigns ignorance, and when she realises he isn’t convinced, her smile falls slightly. "Attachment, I know"

" _Admiration_." He corrects subtly. Obi-Wan walks to the side of her bed, sitting in the chair Anakin has more than likely spent most of the past five days in. "How are you feeling, Ahsoka?"

She shrugs her good shoulder, "The pain isn't so bad, but the meds won't replace my leg." Obi-Wan’s gaze drops to the stumped end of her thigh, the sight making him feel nauseous. "What have you been up to recently, Master?”

His reply is instant, "Council business." 

He and Anakin agreed that telling Ahsoka about the problem with his heart will only prolong her recovery. "We had to track the bounty hunter down, and the war hasn't stopped."

Ahsoka averts her gaze, "Of course, Master. I'm sorry," she shakes her head, "I've just been lonely, that's all."

"It seems to me that you get plenty of company." Obi-Wan comments, gesturing to the cards around her room.

He understands what she means though. Togrutas are sociable creatures who find even short amounts of isolation unbearable. "How about I help you with your studies whilst you're stuck in here?"

It's the least he can do. 

"I'd rather be training." She says, her gaze travelling to the stumped end of her leg. It’s no longer bandaged up, and Obi-Wan doesn't find the scar very visually appealing. It's a constant reminder of how he hurt her.

"You shouldn't have used yourself as a shield between me and that bounty hunter, Ahsoka." He chastises. 

"I knew you were going to say that." She plays with the hem of her hospital gown, sighing.

“You’re far too young to be pulling off reckless stunts like that.” He carries on, even though he can tell his words will have no effect on her. “What if you were killed? Or paralysed?”

“What if _you_ were killed?” She hisses back.

Obi-Wan jolts back as if she hit him.

“Hardeen was aiming for you, Master.” Ahsoka whispers, closing her eyes, “I would never forgive myself if something happened to you.”

She turns her head away and blinks at the window whilst Obi-Wan sits there, stunned.

He’s spent years dealing with the guilt of not being able to save Qui-Gon. What if he _had_ died and Ahsoka felt the guilt that he had felt after Darth Maul took his Master’s life?

"Put yourself in my shoes- or _shoe_ \- Master." Her attempt to joke is admirable, and it reminds him that she really _is_ Anakin's student through and through. "If you saw Anakin or I about to be shot and killed, would you stand back?"

_You would never, wise one._

"No, I wouldn't."

Silence falls, and Obi-Wan takes his time accessing the girl’s injuries. She’s sat a little awkwardly, probably uncomfortable from the back brace, and her fingers on her left hand are twitching occasionally. He frowns, wonders how long it’ll take for her to fully recover.

“Can I get you anything?” He asks eventually, feeling bad that he’s free to move around whilst she’s bed-bound.

She looks over at him, dark bags under her eyes, “Some caf would be nice.”

“Caf,” he repeats, standing up, “I’ll get you some from the mess. Hang tight.”

“I won’t go anywhere.” He hears her mumble as he leaves her room.

* * *

"Why are you removing the bounty on the three fugitives?" The Chancellor asks Master Yoda over the comm, but Anakin is hardly paying attention.

Hardeen escaped prison, and his biggest fear is that he'll come back and try to finish Ahsoka off. Anakin _has_ to find out who employed Hardeen and what that scumbag has against his Padawan.

He won't let that employer make the mistake of putting a bounty on Ahsoka's head again.

It’s been nearly a week since Hardeen attacked her, and Ahsoka’s left arm _still_ isn’t moving on its own. Master Che said she would run tests, but she only replied with a huff when Anakin asked how long it would take for the nerve damage to recover.

Kriffing sniper. 

Ahsoka's losing weight fast, and although the Healers assured him that it's normal for bed-bound patients to shed a few pounds, he's never seen Ahsoka so skinny before, and it's starting to terrify him.

Harden will _pay in blood_ for doing this to her- Anakin is certain of that. 

"You look troubled, Anakin." The Chancellor's voice brings him out of his thoughts, and he sighs.

"How can they expect me to just _sit_ here and do _nothing_ whilst the person who tried to _murder_ my Padawan is on the loose?" He tries to control his anger, but he's _never_ been this furious before, not even when his mother died at the hands of those Tusken Raiders.

He's terrified Ahsoka could've died that night. That thought scares him the most- losing her. 

The Council are doing _nothing_ to try to protect her. After Boba Fett nearly killed Windu on Vanqor, he and Anakin were given twenty-four-hour armed protection. Now, a much more lethal bounty hunter has harmed Ahsoka, and the window in her room isn’t even double bolted.

Heck, Windu’s gone on a kriffing meditative retreat in the middle of everything.

"It is possible that they do not trust you to control your feelings."

Anakin scoffs. The Council thinks he's the worst Jedi in the Order at shielding his emotions. He’s never been good at that.

"Hardeen tried to kill my Padawan, and she has sustained injuries that will last her _entire_ life." He says, his volume rising on every word. "And _now_ , Hardeen's escaping with Cad Bane and Moralo Eval, and the Jedi Council won't do _anything_ about it!"

Silence- he takes a deep breath. Repeats in his head what Master Che told him: _no amount of anger will heal your Padawan, Skywalker._

"I have it from a reliable source that the fugitives were last headed towards Nal Hutta." Anakin turns to the Chancellor, surprise at this new information quickly turning into relief. 

He can track Hardeen down.

"You cannot deny your feelings, Anakin." Palpatine continues, "They are what make you special. If you believe you can stop this plot against me, I trust you."

Trust: something the Jedi Council doesn't have in him. 

"Thank you, Chancellor." Anakin can feel the tension easing out of his shoulders. Hardeen can be put back behind bars- where he belongs- and the plot against the Chancellor can be dismantled, "You won't regret this."

"No, I won't." Palpatine replies, but Anakin is already halfway to the door.

“Snips.” He speaks into his commlink, his mind going a million miles a minute as he decides which ship to take. “Obi-Wan mentioned he would visit you today; is he with you?”

He wants to tell her that he’s going after Hardeen, and he knows Obi-Wan will try to stop him if he hears.

 _“He’s just gone to get caf.”_ She replies, _“Do you need him?”_

“No, no.” Absolutely not. “That’s fine, but I need to tell you something.”

There’s a slight pause, _“Go on.”_

“I just spoke to the Chancellor.” Anakin pushes his palm against the hanger’s entrance scanner, waits impatiently for the droid to confirm his identity. “He heard it rumoured that the fugitives are headed to Nal Hutta, and that’s where I’m going.”

He can almost hear her sigh, _“Master, I don’t think that’s wise. Did the Council say you could do that?”_

“Not exactly, but none of them will find out; I’ve only told you.” He replies, “It’s not like they have any plans to bring Hardeen and his pals to justice.”

 _“They aren’t common criminals, Anakin, they’re lethal bounty hunters.”_ Ahsoka emphasises, _“You’re rushing into this. Do you even have a plan?”_

Nope.

“Of course, I do, Snips.” The hanger doors open, and Anakin strides inside.

_“Liar.”_

“Look, Ahsoka, it doesn’t matter if I have a plan or not,” he says, getting slightly irritated at her lack of faith in him. “Those bounty hunters could be causing chaos across the galaxy, and if nobody else is willing to put a stop to that, then I will! Besides, I’m not going to let Hardeen get away with what he did to you.”

_“I can’t change your mind, can I?”_

He paces between the rows of ships until he finds exactly what he’s looking for, “No.”

 _“Just don’t get yourself killed. Please.”_ She says before softening her tone, _“Stay safe, Master. Ahsoka out.”_

* * *

After a quick visit to the mess, Obi-Wan returns to Ahsoka’s room with two mugs of caf. Master Che will probably disapprove of her young patient drinking the stimulant, but Ahsoka looked desperate for it. He didn’t have the heart to refuse her request.

“Black with sweeteners.” He says, passing her a mug. Ahsoka takes it carefully, balancing it on her uninjured leg with one hand. 

“Thanks.” She says, smiling although her expression soon grows sadder, “I keep having strange dreams, Master."

Obi-Wan leans forwards, remembering the night she screamed out his name and Tyson had to sedate her, "Dreams, Ahsoka?"

"Or a vision, I'm not sure how to separate the two." She visibly shudders, "I... I see you getting shot by the bounty hunter and falling off the rooftop."

His jaw flexes. It’s the same nightmare from several nights ago.

"I yell up to Anakin that I've got you and he needs to go, and then I try to stir you, and you just..." her hands start shaking, and Obi-Wan takes away her mug before the hot caf burns her, "you're just _still_.”

“Anakin tries shaking you, and he yells your name, but you don't wake up." Her voice cracks and she turns away, embarrassment radiating off her Force-signature.

_Do you see what you could have done to her, wise one?_

How could he have ever signed up to this mission if _this_ were how it would play out? He never even considered the emotional trauma that he would've caused Anakin and Ahsoka if he died.

"I'm assuming you haven't told Anakin about this?" She nods- it's probably for the best that he doesn't find out.

Ahsoka holds out her arm that isn't in a sling, "I can... feel your body," her voice cuts out briefly as she sniffles, "in my arms, as if it's real."

He gets chills. What if Ahsoka had to hold his body and tell Anakin that he was dead? She’s a teenager- _a child_ \- for kriff’s sake.

"Every-Everything after that is blurry.” She shakes her head, wipes away the stray tears with the back of her hand.

Obi-Wan leans back in his chair, "You should meditate on it, Ahsoka, perhaps share your findings with Master Yoda."

Force knows, if he meditates with her and sees these visions, he might just breakdown.

She takes a deep breath, composes herself, “Yes, Master. I just hope nothing bad happens to Anakin now he’s-” she cuts herself off sharply, her eyes widening.

Obi-Wan frowns, “Now he’s what?” She looks away, spiking his worry, “Ahsoka, tell me.”

“He’s gone after Hardeen.” She whispers, her eyes fixed on the window. “I tried to stop him, but his mind was made up.”

He hasn’t seen Anakin since the day before, but he just assumed he was in the Chancellor’s office. That’s usually where he has been when he isn’t at Ahsoka’s side or socialising with a certain Senator.

Now, he’s chasing down Windu in disguise- who happens to be working alongside Bane and Eval. Obi-Wan doesn’t doubt Anakin’s abilities, but he’s certainly fearful for Windu’s life. 

The end of Anakin’s lightsaber is the _last_ place one would want to be when the Knight is angry.

“Ahsoka.” She turns to him when he uses a firm tone, her blue eyes glistening. “When did he leave, and where is he going?”

“He called when you went to the mess- I think he was heading towards the hanger.” Ahsoka says, her lower lip trembling. She probably feels like she’s compromising her loyalty to Anakin. “He said the Chancellor gave him a tip to go to Nal Hutta.”

Obi-Wan runs a hand through his hair. “I need to speak to Master Yoda. Will you be alright on your own?”

She nods, although she doesn’t look _alright_ with that. “Please stop him, Master Kenobi; he’ll only get himself killed.”

“Hush, don’t think like that.” He puts a hand on the valley between her montrals and floods her Force-signature with calm, “Anakin will be fine.”

“I tried to get him to stay-”

“I know, I know.” He rubs her montrals reassuringly, “It’ll be alright, young one, it isn’t your fault.”

It’s the Council’s fault for formulating this plan in the first place- it’s Obi-Wan’s fault.

* * *

“I’m over this,” Ahsoka mutters as Tyson changes the dressing of the surgical scar on her back. She’s on her side in her cot, hanging onto the rail whilst he cleans the small incision site.

“I don’t blame you.” He replies, “It’s hard sitting around whilst the universe moves around you.”

She tilts her head, frowning, “Speaking from experience?”

He huffs a laugh, not pausing his work, “I had scoliosis as a kid- spent a lot of time in here. It was hard, seeing all my classmates getting assigned to Masters whilst I was practically bed-bound.”

Ahsoka hums, “Is that why you became a Healer?”

He laughs again as he gently clips her into her brace once more, “Well, I spent enough time in here, I may have well started learning a thing or two about medicine. Ready to roll back over?”

Tyson guides her back down, helping expel her pain into the Force as the movement aches. “There, all sorted.”

“Thanks,” she mumbles, resting her functional hand on the crown of her head. “This sucks.”

“I know,” he touches her should gently, “but before you know it, you’ll be back on the field.”

She won’t be going back anytime soon if Anakin gets himself killed on Nal Hutta.

* * *

“Master Yoda!” Obi-Wan calls, bowing as he walks towards the Grandmaster in one of the strategy rooms. He stops in his tracks, “What is it?”

The alien turns, trouble etched across his face and swirling through the Force, “Complications with the plan, Mace has reported. Cut off contact, he wants to.”

Obi-Wan mirrors his frown, “I’ve just heard that Anakin is headed to Nal Hutta to bring Hardeen to justice.” He doesn’t mention his source of this information- Ahsoka has enough on her plate without being interrogated.

To his surprise, Master Yoda scoffs, “Suspected that, I did. Leaving Nal Hutta, Mace is. One step behind him, young Skywalker will be.”

Obi-Wan nods although he doesn’t like the idea of Anakin aimlessly charging across the galaxy. The longer it takes him to find Hardeen, the shorter his fuse will be.

“Unhappy with my decision to refrain from interfering, you are.” 

“I think leaving Anakin to his own devices is risky.” Obi-Wan says, crossing his arms over his chest. “He’s quite… _determined_ to pursue justice for Ahsoka.”

“Understand this, I do.” Master Yoda hums, “Tell him the truth, when he returns, we shall.”

Finally.

“Yes, Master.” Obi-Wan bows his head respectfully, "Until then, I believe Ahsoka could benefit from some meditation with you. She's been having visions of me being killed by Hardeen."

"Speak to her, I shall." Master Yoda promises. “Strange, the events that have unfolded are. Trust the Force to guide us, we must.”

* * *

"Room service." Ahsoka turns at the militant knock on her door, a small smile falling onto her face when she sees her Captain standing in the threshold.

"Don't you have a curfew, Rexster?" She asks with a raised eye marking. "It's past 2100."

The 501st Captain has paid her a visit twice a day, usually bringing her a pastry in the morning and an iced caf in the afternoon- both from _Dex's Diner_. She can only manage some small bites or a few sips, but it's better than the crap she's getting served in the Halls of Healing.

"I'm here on special assignment." He says, stepping inside her room. Only then does she notice his civvies- not a piece of plastoid in sight- and a bed roll tucked under his arm. 

"Special sleepover assignment?" She sits up further in bed and only feels the slightest twinge in her back from the movement. For all the brace is uncomfortable and chafes against her sides, it does its job.

Rex grins, "That's not _exactly_ how the General phrased it."

She rolls her eyes at her overprotective Master, even though she’s hated every second of sitting alone for the past five hours. She never expected Anakin to recruit her men as babysitters.

She wishes he didn’t leave, but once Anakin Skywalker has his heart set on something, there’s no changing his mind.

"You can set up camp here." She points to the floor on the left of her bed, closest to the window overlooking Coruscant's skyline. "Of course, we _could_ just share the bed. It wouldn't be the first time."

Rex chuckles at the playful banter, "And risk Healer Che coming in to find her patient snuggled up to a clone trooper? No thanks, kid." He perfectly spreads out his bed roll in one attempt and then looks over at her, "The boys send their regards. How are you holding up, Commander?"

How can she even put it into words?

She can’t feel anything below her left shoulder, she lost a kriffing leg, her back has literal cement in it and she can’t eat without throwing up. Then there’s the fact she’s terribly lonely after five minutes without any visitors. 

She settles for a pout, "My left foot keeps itching."

Rex frowns, his eyes briefly flitting to where her foot used to be. He speaks slowly, "You don't _have_ a left foot anymore, sir."

"I know!" Dry, broken laughter bubbles through her chest, "Could you do me a huge favour, Rex?"

"All you need to do is ask."

"I haven't got out of this bed in nearly a week, and quite frankly, my sheds are sore as hell." She smiles sheepishly, "Could you be a pal and-

"Carry you for a bit?" He finishes, knowing her too well. She sheepishly nods, the chevrons on her lekku darkening. "Did the doctor say you could get out of bed?”

"Master Che didn't say I _couldn't_ get out of bed."

"You've been spending too much time with the men, learning the loopholes of medical orders." Nevertheless, Rex walks to stand by her bed, "Tell me when something hurts, okay?"

"Sure." Ahsoka extends her good arm to him. "You're the best, Rexster."

He smiles back at her before carefully slotting one arm around her shoulders and the other underneath her. Her amputated leg struggles to keep itself in his hold, but she tightens her core, forcing her legs to tense.

Rex doesn't grunt when he lifts her into his arms- used to running across open battlefields which much heavier men over his shoulders. Ahsoka has to suppress a whimper. It isn't the movement causing her pain, it's just that her muscles are all stiff from being bed-bound for so long.

After a minute or so, Rex's hold is almost comfortable.

"They took the IV out this afternoon." She says, leaning her head against his hard bicep. There are no longer bandages around her head, just some suture stitches. "I want to see the stars."

“Sir, yes, sir.” Rex chuckles as he slowly walks them to the window. Ahsoka tilts her head to get a better view of the dazzling sky. Force, it’s been so long since she has gone outside. 

"You know what I hope you learn from falling off a building?" Rex interrupts her thoughts, "Never throw me off a Geonosian wall again." She laughs genuinely for the first time in days.

"Trust me, Rex, I won't be the biggest fan of heights after this is all over."

The nightmares have put her off heights completely, especially the ones where Obi-Wan falls and doesn’t wake up.


	8. Chapter 8

Mace feels the ship jolt, and he already knows it’s Skywalker judging by the storm of rage swirling in the Force.

"Now what?" Eval whines.

"Jedi." Bane replies.

Mace scowls. He had a gut feeling that Skywalker would be coming after the fugitives. The Knight’s never learnt how to let go of a grudge.

Mace isn't a pilot, but he's heard enough of Skywalker's space battle reports to know how he thinks. That's the only way he manages to evade him as they keep low to the surface. Skywalker isn't holding anything back- occasionally scuffing the lip of his ship with theirs and Mace knows it won't be long until he brings them down.

He notices the ship above them is put onto auto-pilot- which confirms Skywalker is alone. Suddenly, the Knight drops onto the nose of their ship, and he looks _pissed_.

"I'll take care of him." Mace says, going to stand. It’s been a while since he and Skywalker sparred.

"No," Bane plants a hand on his shoulder, "it's my turn to shoot a Jedi."

Mace chuckles dryly, "It's cute that you think you can beat a lightsaber wielder with just a pistol. Leave this to me, Bane."

"What have you got that's better than a pistol?!" Bane yells as Mace exits the cockpit.

"A brain!" He calls back, _and the Force_.

Once outside, he jumps to where Skywalker is standing and pins the Knight to the ground. He manages to get a few punches in, but being younger, stronger, and angrier, Skywalker breaks his hold within seconds, igniting his lightsaber.

Mace crouches, analysing which moves he can make. Sure, he could fire his blaster a few times, but Skywalker is a General for kriff's sake. He deals with blasters on the daily.

Mace goes for a different strategy, rushing Skywalker from underneath and tackling him again. He feels the lightsaber hum as it nearly passes through his neck, and he grabs Skywalker's hand, stopping him from decapitating him.

The ship tilts, colliding with Skywalker's hovering above them. If Skywalker thought with his head and not his emotions, he would've at least brought Captain Rex for backup.

Has Obi-Wan been released from the Halls of Healing yet?

His momentary distraction is all Skywalker needs to pound his knee Mace's groin and roll them, so he’s straddling the older Jedi. The lightsaber is ignited again, but before Mace's life flashes before his eyes, the ship hits something _hard_ , and both Generals are thrown like rag dolls to the ground.

Funny how Tano couldn't catch herself when she fell off the building, but Mace and Anakin manage to land easily with practised rolls.

Skywalker's hands are suddenly around his throat and he looks blood-thirsty, "You're going to _pay_ for what you did."

"You shouldn't have gotten involved."

His eyes flicker gold, and Mace feels his back hit a rock face and a knee collide with his groin. Groaning, he’s tossed to the ground.

Skywalker puts a knee on his back and Mace grows panicked when he hears the lightsaber being ignited near his leg, "This is for Ahsoka..."

Shit.

Bane couldn't have shown up at a better time. 

Skywalker's arms are swiftly pinned to his sides by a cable fired from Bane. "You can thank me later, Hardeen."

Mace stands, grateful his leg is still attached to the rest of his body as Bane pulls Skywalker along the ground, "You had your chance to kill him, now it's my turn!"

Skywalker uses the momentum to swing himself upwards and kick Bane away, ridding himself of the cable. In a flash, his lightsaber is back in his hand and he easily defends himself against Bane's shots.

Within seconds, the blaster is knocked from Bane’s hand and Skywalker lifts his lightsaber, preparing to kill. The Force surges with fear as Bane realises this may be the end.

Mace has to admit, it’s satisfying to see Bane so vulnerable, but killing him will do no good.

He jumps forwards and bounds into Skywalker, sends the lightsaber flying away as they start to wrestle. Mace puts the young Knight into a chokehold, pinning him tightly between his chest and the ground.

“Stop following me.” He urges under his breath, lacing his words with a sleep suggestion so thick that it could put a youngling in a coma. It needs to be heavy if he wants Skywalker to go unconscious.

Skywalker soon goes slack in his arms, and Mace releases his neck, so he doesn’t cause any permanent damage.

As he stands, he sees Bane aim his blaster, and without thinking, Mace extends a hand, “We _need_ to get going.”

Bane’s not a weak-minded being, and he shrugs off the Force-suggestion, “After I kill him, we can leave.”

Mace puts a hand over his blaster and pushes it down, pulses the Force at the Duros’ strong mental shields. A Force-suggestion from three Jedi barely worked on Bane when they tried to find the missing children at the start of the war, but Bane was prepared then.

Now, he has no suspicions that Mace can use the Force.

“It’s no fun killing Jedi when they can’t fight back, trust me.” He says, focusing entirely on feeding Bane impatience and the urge to leave. “Let’s _go_.”

The power and confidence in his words is finally enough to make Bane submit, and the blaster is holstered.

Eval approaches them, “The ship is still operational!”

Mace looks back at Skywalker as Bane goes ahead. The Knight is starting to stir, but Mace waves a hand, pushing him further under the Force with the instruction to _rest_. 

“Don’t follow us, Skywalker.” He says lowly before following the others.

* * *

_Ship crashing. Anakin’s on the ship beneath her, fighting the bounty hunters. A pipeline explodes in front of her, and Ahsoka gasps, trying to swerve out of the way._

_Then, she’s breaking out of her ship, one hand pressing against her pounding skull._

_Anakin!_

_She jumps in front of him, defending him from Cad Bane. Heart thumping, chest heaving. Hardeen doesn’t raise his blaster at her, he hardly looks her in the eyes._

_“You’re lucky we’re in a hurry, little lady. We’ll have to dance another time.” Bane cackles, tilting his hat at her. Disgust stirs in her as she growls, keeping her lightsabers poised until they re-board their ship._

_She drops to her knees to help Anakin up, praying she hasn’t lost a second Master._

_"Master. Master, are you alright? What is it? What's wrong?"_

_“That’s… why I felt a connection.” He says, his eyes lost. “Obi-Wan is still alive.”_

_“I… I don’t understand.”_

_“Neither do I.”_

_“I don’t either,” Anakin shakes his head, “but we’re going to get to the bottom of this. Believe me.”_

Ahsoka opens her eyes slowly, notices it’s still late as it takes her a few moments to adjust to the darkness. Her visions have been getting more frequent to the point that they don’t scare her anymore; they only confuse her.

This one was more confusing than the others.

Why did Anakin feel a connection, and why did he think Obi-Wan was still alive?

Rex is sleeping on the floor, snoring. Not all clones snore; it’s one of the things which makes Rex _Rex_. Ahsoka pushes herself upright, sees the digital chrono on the far wall reads 0300.

She runs a hand down her face, feels sweat cling to her palm. The small details of the mission are already leaving her memory before she can focus on them, but she remembers one thing: _Obi-Wan is still alive._

Ahsoka shudders, reminding herself Obi-Wan never died in the first place. They’re only visions, just her imagination becoming more vivid.

_No, it is not, young one._

The commlink on her bedside table lets out a beep, and Ahsoka grabs it before the noise will stir Rex- clones are notoriously light sleepers.

She holds it close to her mouth, already knowing who’s calling her at this hour, "Master?"

 _"Snips."_ He sounds beat. _"Did I wake you?"_

"No," she lies, rubbing a hand over her eyes. "Where are you?"

 _"About six hours from Coruscant; I’m hitch-hiking."_ He replies vaguely, _"I couldn’t capture Hardeen; I’m sorry. I underestimated that team of bounty hunters.”_

"Anakin." She keeps her voice low, ever mindful of the sleeping Captain beside her bed. "Nobody was expecting you to kill Hardeen. What happened?"

There's a momentary pause, _"The fugitives had left by the time I got to Nal Hutta. I managed to track them down to-"_

"Orondia." She cuts him off, the planet coming to the front of her mind from nowhere. Has she even _heard_ of Orondia?

 _"Yeah, that's the one."_ Anakin’s too tired to ask how she knew the fugitives were on that planet, _"My ship crashed when I tried to take their one down."_

Typical. Ahsoka holds her tongue, remembers that the ship crashed in her vision as well.

 _"I fought Hardeen."_ Anakin carries on, _"He was a better fighter than I anticipated."_

No shit; he's a lethal bounty hunter.

"How did you escape all three of them?"

_"Hardeen knocked me out, but when I woke up, they were gone. Must've been in a rush."_

"Odd." She says. In her vision, she had to defend Anakin when he was knocked out, so why would the bounty hunters just leave? 

_Be grateful he is alive, young one._

_“Don’t worry about it, Snips, just focus on yourself.”_ He reassures, knowing how her thoughts are spiralling, _“I’ll visit you as soon as I get back. Anakin out.”_

“Wait, Anakin!” She exclaims before he cuts off the call

_“Hm?”_

“You would…” she has no idea how to phrase this, “You would tell me if you know something I don’t, right?”

She hears him yawn, _“What do you mean?”_

“Like,” she searches for the right words, “like if there was more to this than we thought, you would tell me, yeah?”

 _“Yeah, of course,”_ he chuckles, _“Why? Do you have any info from your side?”_

“No,” she replies, “Nobody’s telling me anything.” Obi-Wan wouldn’t even tell her who Hardeen escaped prison with.

 _“Join the club, Snips,”_ Anakin genuinely laughs this time, _“See you in a bit.”_

The comm beeps as the call ends, and Ahsoka sits with the device in her hand for a while, just trying to make sense of everything.

There’s a soft groan from the floor, followed by Rex’s raspy sleep-voice, “Did the General catch Hardeen?”

“No,” she says, her soft voice barely audible. She wonders if she can disclose some of her worries to her Captain, “Rex?”

There’s no response, just a light snore filling the room.

* * *

"Remember, Jesse," Kix says, treating him like a cadet- _once again_ , "whilst we're in our armour, we're representing the Grand Army of the Republic."

"Never." Jesse says, giving his brother a dry look. “I thought we were representing the Trade Federation.”

Kix ignores him, "We have to be on our _best_ behaviour."

Jesse rolls his eyes as they reach the top of the Temple steps, "We're visiting the Commander, Kix, not the Council. You know she doesn't like it when we're too military."

They two brothers are silent as they walk through the Temple, following Coric’s directions to the Halls of Healing. It's still early, the sun just barely showing across the horizon of skyscrapers. 

"Is that the Captain?" Kix asks, breaking the silence as he squints at the figure approaching them.

Jesse nods, "He said he was staying with the Commander for the night- General's orders."

They meet Rex halfway down the corridor, and the bedroll tucked under the Captain's arm is confirmation he slept in the Temple's medbay. 

"Captain." Kix and Jesse salute sharply.

"At ease; we're off duty." Rex says. The deep wrinkles etched in his brow from the stress of the past few days seems to have eased into a somewhat softer expression. He looks happier. "Paying Commander Tano a visit?"

"Yes, sir." Kix chirps back, the more formal of the two brothers. "How is she?"

"Tired, this morning. She didn’t sleep well." Rex says, and Jesse feels his face fall. The Captain backtracks when he sees his crestfallen expression, "I'm sure she'll be grateful for your company. Make sure you sign in and out at the reception. Healer Che rules with an iron fist."

Jesse chuckles, imagining a female version of General Windu. "Sure thing."

"I'm going to call Fives, let him know what's going on." Rex sighs, and Jesse knows Fives is completely unaware of what's happened due to his back-to-back ARC missions. "Skywalker's due back today, so I'll try to catch up with him."

Kix furrows his eyebrows, "The General went off-planet? _Now,_ of all times?"

"Chasing down the bounty hunter who shot Ahsoka." Rex explains. Neither clone pretends to notice that he used her first name. "Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful.”

"He should’ve brought us along,” Jesse taps his chest with his fist. “We could’ve killed the bastard.” Rex gives him a disapproving look. "Sorry, sir."

If the 501st had their way, Rako Hardeen would be serving a life sentence.

In a coffin.

"Don't worry, Jesse; we all feel the same way." Rex shakes his head, "I'll be in the barracks when you guys get back."

They watch their CO walk away, his shoulders slumped and feet dragging. Jesse has never seen Rex so downbeat, not even after tiresome battles where they lose too many men. He may have been composed when he spoke to them, but it’s just a façade.

Their Captain is broken.

"The Commander's his best friend, Jesse." Kix says, reading his thoughts. "Rex has hundreds of brothers but only one sister. Seeing her in pain is tough on him- it always has been."

Jesse hums in agreement. Ahsoka's a tough Jedi, but she’s not invincible. She's been wounded before- not _as_ bad as this but still badly- and Rex has always struggled to deal with her pain. It’s as if he feels the wounds on his own body.

The Captain feels responsible for her. Apparently, when she joined the 501st on Christophsis, the General sacked her onto Rex so she could learn about war. He's taught her a lot about what it takes to be a good soldier and leader, and Rex has probably learnt a lot from Ahsoka too.

"Did you remember the card?" Kix asks, bringing Jesse out of his thoughts. Up ahead, he can see the entrance to the Halls of Healing. It's beige- an odd colour for a medbay.

"Of course." Jesse waves the envelope in his hand. "How're the flowers looking?"

"They need some water." Kix frowns, glancing at the bouquet in his hand. With a limited knowledge of flora and a meagre allowance, they ended up buying the cheapest bouquet they saw. Hopefully, they’ll please the Commander.

The doors automatically open, revealing the Halls of Healing. It's a dumb name for a bog-standard medbay, in Jesse's opinion. The only thing that’s special about it is that they are completely funded by the Senate with an unlimited amount of supplies and every soul in the building can use the Force.

Jesse’s seen the General heal with the Force a few times, and it’s both enchanting and freaky.

"I'll do the talking." Kix says as they walk to a reception desk where a woman is sat. He winks at Jesse, "Medic charm."

"Yeah, flirt your way in." Jesse rolls his eyes, still angry Kix managed to dance with more girls than him last week in _79s_. That was before _this mess_ ever happened.

"Excuse me, ma'am." The woman lifts her eyes when Kix addresses her. "We're here to visit Commander Tano."

She raises a brow, "We don't have a Commander Tano here. Sorry, trooper." She doesn't sound very sorry as she turns back to her computer screen.

" _Padawan_ Tano." Jesse emphasises, adding on a sharp. "Ma'am."

"Oh," she looks up at them, scanning the two clones methodically. Kix and Jesse freeze like it's a Sergeant inspection. "Are a lot of clones going to be visiting Padawan Tano?"

Jesse and Kix exchange a confused glance before the medic answers, "Several have already been to visit, ma'am. She _is_ our Commander."

"I wonder how long Master Che will last before she gets annoyed with seeing so many _similar_ faces around here." The girl says, giggling at her stupid joke. "Room 18A, second on your right."

"Thank you, ma'am." Kix bows his head, and Jesse swears that kid could pass as a Jedi any day of the week. They walk away from the reception area, "Well, she was pleasant."

Jesse grins, "Makes me realise we got the best Jedi as our COs." 

Ahsoka's room is certainly larger than any of the recovery rooms on the _Resolute_ \- that's for sure. She even has a window. Jesse has never seen a better view of Coruscant.

The young Jedi's sat on the bed, an untouched bowl of cereal on her lap and wearing a smile which could challenge General Fisto. Jesse can't help but smile back.

"You didn't have to come, guys, but thank you anyway." She says, her eyes glassy as she accepts the flowers.

"I look a state." She laughs, rubbing her eyes. Her left arm is motionless; Rex said something about it not working. It reminds Jesse of the Captain's injury on Saluecami.

"Nonsense." Kix says, beaming.

Jesse scans their Jedi, notices the dark bags under her eyes and her less-than-bright skin. It makes him feel weird to see her like this, almost like he's intruding on something private. He’s seen her tired and covered in battle-field grime and blood but seeing her like this is somehow more harrowing.

"Take a seat, brother." Kix says, motioning to the two metal chairs beside Ahsoka's bed. Jesse sits, tries not to breathe too deeply so his nose doesn't sting with the sharp smell of antiseptic. Hospitals and medbays have always freaked him out.

"How have you been, sir?" Kix asks as if it's the most casual thing in the universe.

Ahsoka shrugs, her left shoulder resisting the movement, "Still in a decent amount of pain, but, you know," she flashes a grin, "it can only get better, right?"

"Have they not given you a new leg yet?" Jesse nods at the stump on her left leg. The sight makes his stomach clench, but it's hard to look away.

"They did," she sighs, "Anakin stole it to make _altercations_."

Jesse grins, "That's a good way to keep you out of trouble, sir."

She laughs- genuinely. Jesse beams: the Captain will enjoy hearing that he managed to make Ahsoka laugh.

"What have you guys been up to?" She asks, putting her bowl of cereal aside and sitting upright.

"Keeping the Captain sane." Jesse snorts, earning a smack on the vambrace from his brother. Ahsoka's face hardens, "I'm joking, sir."

"You better be." 

"We've been busy re-supplying." Kix answers, pinning Jesse with a glare. "The newbies were ready to paint their armour, so we've been supervising that process as well."

Ahsoka's smile fades, "I love watching the men paint their armour."

"We'll make sure one of the shinies waits for you to come back until he paints his, then." Jesse promises. Kix nudges him, pointing at the envelope which Jesse forget about. He extends it to her, "For you, sir."

"You guys are so sweet." She takes the envelope and places it on her lap, using her one functioning hand to open it. Jesse thoughts start spiralling; will she ever be able to fight again?

Ahsoka holds up the card with one hand, shows her teeth as she smiles. "Jesse, that's beautiful."

He shrugs, "Just something simple."

Ahsoka’s always adored the scenery on Naboo, so it only makes sense to do a piece of digital artwork on the front of the card.

"You're amazing." She breathes, her eyes going doe-like. "Senator Amidala is coming to visit me again soon. I'm sure she'll love it as much as I do."

She opens the card and reads silently, her eyes scanning across the paper at an unnaturally fast speed. A few moments later, she smiles and glances at the medic, "Kix, your sense of humour is showing."

Jesse's eyebrows shoot upwards, "Kix making a joke? I don't believe it!"

"Di'kut." His brother shoves him, "You should know that medics always have the perfect one-liners."

Jesse looks at Ahsoka expectantly, "What did he curse you with this time, Commander?"

She clears her throat, still smiling, "Sir, you may have temporary paralysis in your left arm and lost most of your left leg, but you're alright."

It takes Jesse a moment until he understands what his brother meant. Medics have such bad senses of humour, it’s somehow funny.

" _You're_ the di'kut." He laughs, rubbing his knuckles on Kix's head. "That's such a dad-joke. I bet the General said something like that."

Ahsoka's laugh is dryer now. She probably misses her Master. Rex said Skywalker is coming back today, so hopefully, that’ll cheer her up.

"Padawan Tano," the same girl from the reception desk sticks her head through the door, scowling as soon as she sees Jesse and Kix. "Master Yoda's on his way to see you."

Ahsoka's face falls and Jesse hears her mutter, "Thanks, Obi-Wan."

Kix starts to stand, “We’ll be on our way, Commander.”

“I wish you could’ve stayed longer.” Ahsoka says, as if she would rather _their_ company over the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order.

“We’ll be back soon, sir.” Jesse promises before he follows Kix out of the room. He’ll be back every day as long as he can make her laugh.


	9. Chapter 9

"In your visions, see Rako Hardeen, you do?" Master Yoda asks, perched on the end of Ahsoka's bed.

"Yes, Master." She replies, wishing he would hurry up and leave. It's not that she dislikes the Grandmaster, but she didn’t enjoy saying goodbye to Kix and Jesse, and Fives is due back on Coruscant any minute. Rex had promised to send the ARC straight to her recovery room.

She frowns, "It doesn't make any sense. I never saw Rako's face, so how do I know what he looks like?"

"Strange, visions are. See things that we never believed we would see, we do." Ahsoka nods as if she understands what Master Yoda is saying.

It's times like this when she wishes she can go back to Mortis for five minutes to figure all this out. Having visions of future events isn't unusual for Jedi but having visions of different outcomes for something that already happened is unheard of.

"Dangerous, I do not think these visions are.” Master Yoda says, finally hinting that he's done interrogating her. "Meditate and rest, you must. Tired, you are."

She wholeheartedly agrees with him. Between her insomnia and bouts of anxiety, Ahsoka’s exhausted.

Just as he jumps off the bed, the door swings open and Fives strolls inside, extending his arms, "Ahsoka Tano, the only Jedi who can fall from a building and not land on her- ah, General Yoda!"

Immediately, Fives snaps from his usual confident self into a petrified shiny meeting their Sergeant for the first time.

He salutes stiffly, nearly poking himself in the eye with the rose that he's holding in one hand. His cheeks are darkly flushed, and Ahsoka presses her lips together to suppress a smile when his left eye twitches.

"At ease, ARC trooper." Master Yoda says, completely unfazed as he walks towards the door. "At the Citadel, you were."

"Uh, yes, sir?" Fives replies, not sure if it's a question or not. 

"Thankful for your service, Fives, I am."

With that, Master Yoda shuts the door behind him.

"Uh, Fives?" Ahsoka raises an eye marking after a few seconds pass and the clone still hasn’t moved. "He's gone now, and I believe he gave you an order to stand at ease."

Slowly, Fives exhales. "The Grandmaster of the Jedi Order knows my name."

"Count yourself lucky- sometimes he gets Anakin and I confused." Ahsoka grins. Whenever Fives is around, she's always smiling, even if she's bed bound in a medbay. “Are you just going to stand there?”

He shakes his head and comes to stand by the side of her bed, "What's this I hear about you taking a blaster bolt for Kenobi? I thought that was the General's job."

"I saw the sniper take aim before Anakin did." Ahsoka says, wincing at the memories of that dreadful night- the feeling of blood rushing to her head when she saw Obi-Wan about to be killed.

"Badass." He chuckles, running a thumb down the rail of her bed and then suddenly remembering the rose he's holding. "Can you _believe_ there's not a single florist shop between the landing platform and the Temple? I had to borrow this from a Senator's balcony."

"It wasn't Senator Amidala's, was it?" Ahsoka asks, accepting the flower and laying it on her bedside table next to Padmé's bouquet.

"Eh, maybe." The ARC shrugs, pulling out a marker pen from nowhere, "So, can I sign your cast?"

Before she can stop him, Fives lifts the sheet covering her left leg and immediately pales when he sees nothing but a stump.

Did Rex not tell him?

Ahsoka leans forwards, ignoring the pain in her back to clamp a hand over his open mouth just as he starts to scream. She knows how prone he is to freak out when he sees something gross. Her leg isn’t bloody or gory, but it isn’t exactly the nicest thing in the universe to look at.

“Fives-”

He grabs her wrist, eyes wide as he pulls her hand away so he can speak, "Rex didn't say you _lost_ _a limb_."

"You think I'm just sitting in bed because I feel like it?" She asks, raising an eye marking.

“Did the bounty hunter cut your leg off?”

“What?” He’s dead serious. “No, I landed badly when I went off the rooftop. They amputated in theatre.”

He looks back at her leg, and she watches him swallow. If Hardcase was still alive, Rex probably wouldn’t let him visit her because of how fainting prone he was over this type of thing.

ARC’s have stronger stomachs, thankfully.

"When will it grow back?" Fives asks, and the small smile on his lips tells her that he’s teasing.

"Very funny, Fives."

"Oh, I've missed you, Commander." He looks up, his eyes landing on the door to her fresher, "Do you mind if I dive in your shower?"

She scans him, sees he’s come straight from his transport. Dirt and grime stain his armour, and his hair is sticking out at all angles with dried sweat. She sniffs the air and gags.

She gestures him towards the room, "Don't take too long; Anakin's due back within the hour."

He scoffs, "I don't take _that_ long."

She gives him an unimpressed look, knowing him far too well. Fives is one of the most high-maintenance clones she’s ever met. "I'll be out in double time, sir."

As he’s about to enter the fresher, Ahsoka calls him, “Fives!”

“Yeah?” He looks over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow.

“Thanks for, you know, coming here.” She hopes she isn’t about to offend him, “I know you don’t like medbays.”

After Echo’s death, Coric kept Fives in the medbay for a number of days to ‘monitor’ him. Physically he was fine, but he was so emotionally shocked that eating and sleeping become problematic tasks. It only took a week or so until Fives was acting ‘normal’ again, but ever since, he’s hated medbays.

Bad memories, she guesses.

Fives gives her a tight-lipped smile, “Anything for you, Ahsoka.”

* * *

Obi-Wan holds in a sigh of relief when Anakin’s ship docks at the Temple hanger. It’s got a few dents, and one of the engines is trailing smoke, but he’s thrilled to see Anakin walk out with only a slight limp.

He rushes to embrace him, “Anakin-”

His former student holds up a hand- his face a storm. “Save it, Obi-Wan. I know I cocked up.”

Taken aback, Obi-Wan stops suddenly, “That wasn’t going to be the first thing I said to you, Anakin.”

He steps forwards, takes his brother’s shoulders, and looks him dead in the eye, “I’m glad you came back alive.”

Anakin stills, and Obi-Wan takes the time to check his friend over for any other injuries. He’s immensely relieved to see he’s unharmed. When he looks back at Anakin’s face, he sees something terrifying.

Tears are brimming in his eyes.

For a moment, he doesn’t look like Jedi General Anakin Skywalker, the ‘Hero With No Fear’. He’s just Ani. A boy from Tatooine who doesn’t want to leave his mother behind to fulfil the prophecy and become a Jedi.

“I should be dead. They could’ve…” Anakin lowers his gaze, swallows. “They let me live.”

Obi-Wan carefully guards his mind. He never doubted Windu wouldn’t let Anakin be killed. 

Oh kriff. His throat constricts; he has to tell Anakin about the Council’s plan to hire Hardeen. He needs to tell him today, but right now isn’t the time.

_Will the time ever be right, wise one?_

Right now, Anakin needs him as a friend, not as a member of the Jedi Council.

He pulls Anakin tight to his chest- right in the centre of the landing platform, “You’re alive, Anakin. That’s all that matters to me.”

Two arms- one flesh and one metal- wrap around his back. Anakin sighs, and it sounds choked, which only makes Obi-Wan squeeze tighter.

“I wish Hardeen shot me instead of her.” Anakin says, and Obi-Wan feels his heart thud in his ears. “I can handle pain, Obi-Wan; I’ve lived with pain my entire life.”

How bad of a Master is he for Anakin to think like this?

“Just because you can handle pain, doesn’t mean you have to take it, young one.” He recites something Qui-Gon told him, stroking the back of Anakin’s head. “Ahsoka isn’t in pain anymore- she’s recovering.”

“She’s _disabled_.” Anakin spits out the word like it’s poison. “When I took her on as my Padawan, I swore to myself I would protect her, and I’ve failed.”

What Anakin doesn’t know is Obi-Wan made the same promise when Ahsoka met them on Christophsis.

He’s failed her too, but significantly more.

“Ahsoka and she said she never would’ve forgiven herself if she let me be killed by Hardeen.” Obi-Wan says, the words bitter in his mouth, “That’s why she did what she did, Anakin- she would’ve done the same if it was you, or Rex, or anyone else.”

“Recklessly brave.” Anakin murmurs, “Always trying to be the hero.”

“She learnt from her Master.”

“ _And_ her Grandmaster.” Anakin stiffens in his arms and Obi-Wan lets him pull away. “The fruit never falls far from the tree, old man.”

The Knight keeps his eyes down, “Thanks for that.”

“You’re welcome.” Obi-Wan decides a change in conversation is due, "Have you got much more work to do on Ahsoka's leg?" 

He doesn’t want to bring Anakin down with the mention of Ahsoka’s disability, but fixing things has always cheered him up. Besides, the longer Ahsoka goes without walking, the harder it’ll be for her to adjust to the prosthetic.

“It’s all set.” Anakin puts his hands on his hips and looks up at the sky. “Force, Obi-Wan, Master Che is supposed to review the paralysis in her hand today.”

There’s obvious exhaustion in Anakin’s tone, but he seems to be over his foul mood. 

“I’m sure that whatever the news is, you and Ahsoka will conquer anything thrown at you.”

Anakin looks back at him, a smirk on his lips and any lingering tears in his eyes gone. “Nice way of calling us stubborn.”

“Flattery is my forte.” For a moment, there seems to be no tension between them, and Obi-Wan relishes in that.

_You have not told him the truth yet, wise one._

* * *

On the way to the Halls of Healing, Anakin distracts himself by double-checking all the adjustments he’s made to Ahsoka's prosthetic leg. 

Tinkering with mechanics has always helped everything else feel numb.

His skills have come into good use. He assumed the Republic could afford to make the best prosthetics- especially for Jedi- but Ahsoka's was a crappy prototype which would probably do more harm than good, had he not altered it.

With old droid scraps and speeder parts found around his quarters, Anakin replaced the standard mechanical knee with a microprocessor so Ahsoka won't have a limp for the rest of her life. He's also added a lot more wiring, allowing seamless changes in speed and even stride length.

Ahsoka won't even notice that her real leg is gone. Well, she will for a while.

The finishing touch? He varnished the entire exterior in a vibrant orange glaze, so it’ll match Ahsoka's natural skin tone. 

Master Che steps in line with him as he nears Ahsoka’s room, “All of the bone fragments have been extracted from her spinal canal and her back seems to be healing quicker than we anticipated."

"That’s good to hear." Anakin says, forcing himself to smile. He can forget about Hardeen now, and focus on what matters most, but his failed mission is still dampening his mood.

"Don’t get your hopes up, Skywalker.” Master Che nods at the prosthetic in his arms. “We haven't put the leg on her yet." 

They step into Ahsoka's recovery room without knocking. Master Che freezes in the threshold and when Anakin steps around her, a look of disappointment falls on his face.

"General Skywalker." Fives pauses in his motions of putting on his undersuit. His hair is dripping wet, suggesting he borrowed Ahsoka's fresher.

For _kriff’s_ sake.

This does _not_ look great to Master Che.

At least Fives got the undersuit over his hips before they entered. Unlike Anakin and Ahsoka, Master Che has probably never seen a clone trooper in all their naked glory. He can feel the Healer’s Force-signature pulse with shock and disgust, and even some embarrassment.

"Fives, good to see you're alive." Anakin says coolly, eyes flitting to Ahsoka who's sat on the bed, her eyes wide at the scene in front of her. "Strip shows weren't really what I had in mind when I asked the men to keep you company, Snips."

"Um." Ahsoka gawks whilst Fives finishes putting on his undersuit, sliding to attention and keeping his eyes dead ahead. "He _was_ changing in the fresher, but we couldn't speak to each other through the door.”

"Uh-huh." Anakin nods, turning back to Fives, "You're dismissed."

The ARC snorts, "Gladly, sir." 

Everyone’s silent as he collects his armour off the floor and exchanges a small smile with Ahsoka before leaving.

As much as the Jedi and General within him wants to be angry that the ARC decided to massively overstep his boundaries, Anakin can't harbour anything other than some mild frustration.

Ahsoka’s been thoroughly miserable since she got injured, and somehow, the clones have brought a smile to her face. He can't be mad at that.

Master Che can.

"No more clone visitors." She snaps, striding to the side of Ahsoka's bed to check the monitors as if Fives merely _being_ in the room has somehow tampered with them. "They have no respect for patient welfare, medical equipment or the work Healers do."

Ahsoka opens her mouth to protest but Anakin catches her eyes, draws a line across his throat. She rolls her eyes and mutters, "Yes, Master."

He steps forwards, holding up the prosthetic limb for her to see, “Got something for you, Snips.”

Ahsoka’s eyes soften as she runs her fingertips down the prosthetic. He feels gratefulness radiate across their bond which makes him swallow hard. He hadn't captured Hardeen; he's possibly the worst Master ever.

Master Che snaps on a pair of gloves and starts prodding at the blaster scar on Ahsoka's shoulder without any warning, making the Togruta wince. Anakin wraps a hand around hers, squeezing gently. 

“Tonight, we’ll wrap this in bacta for the final time.” The Healer says, “The scarring is minimal.”

Ahsoka's eyes are on her lightsabers on her bedside table- she's probably wondering when she can get back to sparring.

The Healer snatches Ahsoka’s hand from his, "Squeeze my fingers, Padawan."

Anakin gives Ahsoka an exasperated yet humorous look at the Healer’s bashfulness. Then, he watches carefully as the Togruta's brow furrows and the fingers on her left hand only twitch ever so slightly around Master Che's blue ones. 

He knows by the look on the Healer's face- and on Ahsoka's- that something isn't right.

"Hm." Master Che releases Ahsoka's hand. “That’s not good.”

Anakin automatically rests his hand on Ahsoka’s shoulder, “What is it, Master?”

"The shot to Padawan Tano's shoulder severely damaged the radial nerve which runs from the shoulder down the back of the arm, then to the hand." Master Che starts speaking to him like he’s a Junior Healer, "It enables extension of the wrist and fingers. Damage to this nerve can cause weakness and prevent the hand from opening or grasping."

"In Basic?" He asks, feeling his patience nearing its very end.

"She has high radial nerve paralysis, and physiotherapy isn't working. Not even the Force seems to have an effect." Master Che blows out a breath, "In Basic, Skywalker, the paralysis is permanent."

Permanent.

The word echoes around his head as Ahsoka shudders under his hand, “What about a prosthetic?”

Master Che raises a brow, “It’s the nerve that’s damaged, not her hand. Replacing the nerve is not something that I am not willing to do on patients younger than eighteen years old.” 

“So, what do we do?” Ahsoka asks, rubbing her limp hand.

“For the foreseeable future, you’ll have to make do with a brace. We’ll see if more intense physiotherapy makes any noticeable difference. Steroid treatment is an option” Master Che sighs, “When you turn eighteen and your condition hasn’t improved, then we’ll consider a transplant.”

It’s going to be a waiting game; _great_.

Most Jedi are ambidextrous by nature, and the few that aren’t can be trained to adapt, but Ahsoka wields two sabers. Anakin isn’t sure how she’ll react cope with only being able to use one for a while.

Master Che pins Ahsoka with a look of steel, “You need to be doing physiotherapy three times a day, young one.”

“I will.” Ahsoka bobs her head.

The Healer hums, looks up at him, “Skywalker?”

He squeezes Ahsoka’s shoulder, “I’ll make sure she follows your orders, Master.”

“Good.” The Healer pulls off her gloves, tossing them in the trash can. "I have other patients to attend to. Healer Tyson will secure the prosthetic and supervise her first attempt walking on it."

"Thank you, Master." Anakin bows his head, not wanting to get in her bad books.

After she leaves, he looks down at Ahsoka, “Isn't she a ray of sunshine?"

"She intimidated Fives more than Master Yoda did." Ahsoka says with a forced smile, “My arm isn’t going to get better, is it?”

“Master Che _never_ said that.” Anakin replies, “Remember when I nearly blinded myself from that gas bomb?” She nods, chewing her lip. “You thought I’d never see again, but Master Che healed me, didn’t she?”

“It’s not the same.” Ahsoka sighs, her gaze returning to the prosthetic limb beside her.

"Hey," Anakin ducks his head to make eye contact with her, "I know you're nervous about the new leg, but it's going to be fine, okay? If you're really brave and give it your best shot, I'll take you to _Dex's_."

At the mention of food that isn't the crap that they serve in the Halls of Healing, Ahsoka perks up. He never used to have to motivated Ahsoka with food- they used to spar for enjoyment, but she won't be training for a while.

“Ahsoka?” They look up at Healer Tyson who’s poking his head through the door. “Ah, perfect! You have no idea how many rooms I’ve been looking for you in. Don’t tell Master Che, but she told me the wrong number.”

Anakin hears a noise beside him, looks down to see Ahsoka trying to hold back her laughter.

It feels so good to hear her laugh instead of cry.

* * *

Unlike Vokara, Tyson is empathetic. 

He often works with younglings and Padawans, so he doesn’t even feel the slightest sense of intimidation when he enters Ahsoka’s room and start preparing her for the procedure to attach her prosthetic leg. 

“So, the fancy name for this two-part procedure is a direct skeletal fixation of limb prostheses using intraosseous transcutaneous implants.” Tyson says, leaning on the rails of Ahsoka’s bed.

He sees Skywalker nod in his peripheral, but he was probably lost at ‘fixation’. 

“When Master Che first operated on you, she inserted a metal implant into the bottom of your femur.” Tyson uses the scanner to show Ahsoka the metal in the bottom of her stump, “This was anchored in with bone knitters whilst you’ve been on bed rest.”

“Now, we’re going to connect an abutment to the implant, and this is what the prosthetic will be connected to.” He lifts the abutment with gloved fingers, briefly showing it to Ahsoka before returning it to its protective case. 

“Whilst I’m awake?” Ahsoka asks, fear flashing through her Force-signature.

“You’ll be awake, but you won’t feel a thing; I promise.” Tyson winks at her before straightening. “I’m going to give you an epidural which will make your legs feel funny and then you’ll also be able to self-administer nitrous oxide.”

She looks at Skywalker who explains, “Gas and air, Snips. Like what the medics have on the cruiser.”

Tyson gratefully nods at the Knight before looking back at Ahsoka. “I’m going to roll you onto your side and take off your brace to give you the epidural. I’m going to need you to stay really still for me, alright?”

Ahsoka nods, and Tyson takes his cue to shift her onto her side. Besides a slight grunt, Ahsoka doesn’t protest the new position. He removes the brace and is pleased to see the incision against her spine has healed nicely. 

“Slight scratch here.” He warns before inserting the epidural catheter through a needle into her spine. The little trooper doesn’t even flinch. “Perfect.”

“See, Snips? All done.” Skywalker praises his Apprentice, holding her hands tightly. 

“And here’s your fix of gas and air.” Tyson passes Ahsoka the demand valve when she’s once again laying on her back. He puts on his gloves, “Now, let’s get to it.”


	10. Chapter 10

Anakin severely underestimated how long the process would take to get the new leg attached. Whilst it wasn’t a major op, Ahsoka needed a heavy dose of anaesthesia to get through the pain of the procedure. 

As a result, an hour after the leg is secured, Ahsoka’s just laid lazily on her bed, staring at the ceiling. 

"I don't remember the process being so long when I lost my arm." Anakin mutters, fiddling with his own cybernetic.

"She's younger than you were, _and_ she's a Togruta." Tyson explains, "She has another five to six years of growing left to do; that's why we secured the prosthetic like this instead of like yours which is entirely detachable.”

Anakin briefly smiles at the memory of taking his hand off in front of Ahsoka for the first time. She nearly threw up.

Then, he realises her injury is something she’ll live with for the rest of her life. He'll need to teach her how to fix her cybernetic leg should it short-circuit or break like his hand constantly does. 

He remembers being pulled to the ceiling by his forearm at the Citadel, imagines Ahsoka beside him, hanging upside down by her leg whilst she gets electrocuted. He shudders.

He _really_ needs to find out who hired Hardeen to harm his Padawan.

“Epidurals wear off quickly on Togrutas, so it’s nearly out of her system.” Tyson says, typing on a datapad, “I can give her a drug to make her more alert, but the cool packs will need to stay on until the swelling comes down."

Anakin glances at her new knee, piled high with cool packs. Having a foreign object secured to the bottom of her thigh brought about a lot of inflammation and looks immensely sore. She could probably use the pain relief.

_She is calm, Chosen One, and not in any pain. Is that not what you want?_

"Let her float." He says, unlocking his own datapad. "I'll wait."

Anakin searches Hardeen on the GAR database. He wants to find out who hired the scumbag to target them and be the cause of Ahsoka’s current condition.

Sure, he got to enforce some of his anger on Hardeen when he arrested him, but nothing will beat the satisfaction of making someone know they should _never_ mess with Ahsoka Tano as long as Anakin Skywalker is alive. 

Even after he’s dead, he’ll haunt whoever _dares_ harm his student.

He clicks on the name of the Hardeen’s most recent employer- finds an empty file.

Odd.

A trip to the Archives it is. Tyson says he understands and will comm if necessary before Anakin leaves the Halls of Healing to find the one person who he thinks will be able to help.

* * *

“A blank criminal file in the GAR database? How peculiar.” Jocasta Nu says, leading the young Skywalker to a computer terminal. “I am sure we will be able to find more information about this employer through our archival system.”

“Yes, Master.” Skywalker says, sounding distracted as he leans over the back of the chair she’s sitting in. “The name is Lux Usor.”

She pauses, her fingers resting on the keypad, “Lux Usor?”

“Yes,” She can hear Skywalker frown, “Do you know who that is?”

“More like I know _what_ that is.” She turns to look at the Knight. “It is a codename.”

His frown deepens, “What does it mean?”

“I believe it means ‘light user’ by definition.” Jocasta folds her hands over each other on her lap. “I have not heard that codename be used in many years. In fact, I believe that the last time it was used was during the Mandalorian-Jedi war.”

Skywalker looks perplexed, “That was so long ago though. Is it a Mandalorian terrorist group or something?”

“Quite the opposite.” Jocasta shakes her head, “Lux Usor is a codename for the Jedi Order. Specifically, the Jedi Council.”

In the dim lighting, Skywalker goes pale, and Jocasta nearly offers him the chair before he collapses. “Why was the codename used in the Mandalorian-Jedi war?”

“Hm.” She turns to the computers, tries not to focus on the distressed Knight as she accesses a handful of files. “The Archives say that the Council used this codename to hire terrorists to sneak behind Mandalorian lines and take out command posts, communication towers and strategy bunkers.”

“So, the codename was used to hire people to sneak behind enemy lines to dismantle plots?” Skywalker asks.

“I believe so, yes.” Jocasta can’t help but smile, remembers how reluctant young Skywalker used to be to learning when he was a young Padawan.

“I think I have everything I need.” Skywalker stands, “Thank you, Master.”

“My pleasure, young one.” She has a feeling the information she just gave him has somehow provided him with a sense of relief.

* * *

He’s caught off guard to see Hardeen’s most recent employer is the Jedi Council, but on the walk back to the Halls of Healing, Anakin realises what exactly has occurred.

For all he disagrees with the Council, they’re a smart bunch.

After hearing Obi-Wan’s report about Hardeen shooting Ahsoka, they probably realised he was the perfect bounty hunter to go behind enemy lines and dismantle the plan to kidnap the Chancellor.

Quite smart when he thinks about it. He wonders how much the Council’s paying Hardeen to do their dirty work.

Sometimes, the almighty Jedi are genuinely no better than the criminals they’re trying to stop.

The sun is just setting when Ahsoka starts to return to normal. She's tired, and Tyson offers to wait another day to try the new leg, so she feels more energetic, but his Snips isn't going to give up that easily.

"Take your time." Anakin says, making sure his grip on Ahsoka is completely secure as she places her bare feet on the ground. "I've got you, okay? I'm not going to let you go."

When he lost his forearm, he remembers Obi-Wan repeating the same words as he tried lifting a jug of water for the first time. He knows exactly how Ahsoka feels, and she's taking everything in her stride.

"The floor's cold." She says, her sharp nails digging through his tunic. "I can feel it in the prosthetic."

"That's your Master's fancy altercations." Tyson says from where he is leaning over the bed, helping Ahsoka stand with some gentle support on her lower back.

"We should really get a name for that new leg of yours; I’m sure the boys can come up with something." Anakin says, keeping the atmosphere relaxed as Ahsoka rises off the edge of the bed with support from both men.

She jolts in his grip, "I've got you, Snips."

"It feels strange, I don't like it." Already, she's trying to sit back down, and Anakin helps lower her until Tyson shakes his head at him.

"Look at me." He says quietly, waiting until her eyes lift to his. She looks like she's about to burst into tears. "Do you trust me?" She nods, "Then trust that I won't let you fall, okay?"

"I can't hold onto you properly with this useless arm." She whines, frustration seeping into her tone as she aimlessly shakes her left arm.

"I'll hold your waist then." Anakin shifts his arm from her elbow to her waist, "Better?" He waits until she nods, "Good, we're going to take a step now. Remember, I've got you and I promise you won't fall. All you need to do is trust yourself.”

"Okay." She blows out a long breath and leans closer to his chest before he feels her lift her prosthetic leg.

With her eyes clenched tight, she takes a step forward.

She nearly buckles as she puts her weight onto the prosthetic, but Anakin doesn't let her fall. Supporting her physically and through their bond, he waits until she finds her feet and moves the prosthetic as if it's her own leg.

"There you go!" Tyson praises once she joins her feet together again. "Nice work, Ahsoka."

She opens her eyes and looks up at Anakin as if she's unsure if she had managed it or not. Anakin smiles proudly down at her, "Great job, Snips. See? Not so hard. Ready for a few more?"

Taking another deep breath, Ahsoka nods and a fresh flame of determination ignites in her eyes. She's a stubborn thing- just like him- and no amputated leg is going to get in her way.

* * *

"Coric, come on!" Fives shouts behind him, laughter heavy in his tone. "No need to be so dramatic!"

The medic says nothing, gritting his teeth together and opening the door to Rex's office. Rarely used, every surface is covered by a thick sheet of dust and the trash can is over-spilling.

The mess stresses him out, but cleaning can wait.

"Sit down, Fives." Coric says, going to lean against the back wall.

The ARC ignores him, standing near the door with his arms crossed over his chest. "Are you _actually_ going to discipline me?"

"Don't tempt me." The Sergeant warns, “What you said back there was _completely_ inappropriate.”

"It was a _joke_!" Fives laughs, leaning against the opposite wall.

Coric takes a few deep breaths. Medics have unmeasurable amounts of patience, but this is testing _his_ limits.

Really, Rex should be the one dealing with this, but the Captain was called to an emergency meeting, putting his Second in charge of supervising the clones whilst they chose a name for Commander Tano's new prosthetic leg,

Naming a fake limb has to be one of the most _pathetic_ things Coric has ever heard of, but if the General thinks it'll cheer Ahsoka up, then he’ll hold his tongue about how silly it is to get emotionally attached to a metal prosthetic.

Some of the men gave _alright_ suggestions, and Coric was starting to enjoy their discussion about the gender of the Commander’s new leg until Fives opened his mouth to give his own propose his own idea.

Now, the shinies are bombarding every veteran in the Legion with one question: _who's Melody Amitrix?_

"You compared our underage Commander to a sex worker who had her leg cut off due to an STD, Fives." Coric snaps, his left eye twitching. "Imagine what the _General_ would do if he heard you say that."

Before _79s_ became the hotspot for clones on Coruscant, there was a slightly more _promiscuous_ club. Coric can't remember the name of it- he tries to block the memories of that place out. Generally, medics steered away for that place due to the number of germs and diseases being passed around.

A _disease_ was the reason why Melody Amitrix- an exotic dancer in this establishment- made it to the front page of the _HoloNet_ following a steamy night with a clone officer who is now ‘officially discharged from duty’. Amitrix picked up a rather nasty infection from this officer, and less than a week later was admitted to hospital to have her leg amputated.

 _That_ is why Coric doesn’t go within six feet of strippers.

“Skywalker would have your _head_.” He barks, “I _never_ want to hear you calling the Commander that!”

The ARC looks amused, "I wouldn't _actually_ call her that, Coric. Even if I did, Ahsoka and I are close." He lifts up his hand and crosses two fingers, giving the Sergeant a visual representation of their friendship. “She’d get the joke.”

"That's _Commander Tano_ to you, trooper." Ahsoka may not mind the clones dropping her title, but Coric does.

A sly smirk climbs onto Fives' face, "You mustn't have heard how the General and Healer Che found the Commander and I this morning. It certainly wasn't very professional."

"Oh, _I_ know about your little strip show." Rex steps into the room, making Fives jump out of his skin at the sight of their Captain. He looks knackered; dark stubble lining his face and huge bags under his eyes.

Coric frowns, he’s tempted to admit the Captain to the medbay until he starts taking care of himself again.

“Sir, you-”

"Coric,” Rex cuts him off, already knowing what he’s about to say. “Thank you, I’ll take it from here.”

* * *

Coric hesitantly leaves the office, glaring at Fives as he closes the door behind him. Rex takes a long, hard look at the ARC.

He can't believe he gets back from one of the most dragged-out meetings he's ever witnessed to find two shinies at the door, nervously asking who Melody Amitrix is and why Ahsoka's leg will be named after her.

Saying he’s unimpressed with Fives; recent behaviour is putting it nicely.

"You _do_ know the Commander's a teenager, right?"

Fives raises his hands defensively, "Hey, I'm younger than she is. It's not like she saw any of the goods."

Rex shakes his head, "Do you know how _humiliating_ it is to hear that one of my men- _an ARC trooper_ \- has been behaving inappropriately in the kriffing Jedi Temple?!” He crosses his arms over his chest, “Is it true that you brought up Melody Amitrix in a discussion about Commander Tano’s amputated leg?”

Fives rolls his eyes, and Rex genuinely feels like he’s dealing with a cocky shiny, not one of his best friends and most loyal soldiers. “I only brought Melody up to make the vets laugh, Rex. I wasn’t being serious.”

“I don’t think any of the vets found it very funny.” Yes, Melody Amitrix is a big joke in the GAR and amongst the 501st veterans, but comparing their Commander to a stripper probably get a laugh out of any of them. "Don't worry, there'll be plenty of time for joking around whilst you're on dish duty."

"Dish duty as a punishment for making a joke? You're not the boss of me anymore, Rex." Fives argues.

“No,” Rex replies smoothly, “Dish duty as a punishment for getting us _all_ banned from visiting the Commander.”

The ARC’s face falls, "What do you mean?"

"Healer Che said that we are no longer permitted to visit the Commander following this morning’s incident. The General told me earlier- he can’t do anything about it.”

Fives' eyes widen, "Because I _dressed_ in front of Ahsoka? Kriff, you can tell that woman has never spent a day on the battlefield if she thinks clone nudity is the same as _actual_ nudity.”

“You should’ve known better, Fives.” Rex scolds.

“I didn’t _know_ she would ban the whole kriffing Legion from visiting Ahsoka!” Fives exclaims, throwing his arms in the air.

Rex's heart suddenly aches for the kid. He remembers how Fives’ voice went shaky when he told him over the comm that Ahsoka had been injured in the first place. Out of all his men, Fives took the news worse than anyone else.

"Healer Che was getting sick of us being there anyways. If she could, I reckon she would ban the General too." Rex says, hoping to make the ARC feel less guilty. It may be his fault, but he’ll be his Captain through and through. Sometimes, that means taking accountability.

"So, _nobody_ can visit her?" Fives asks, “What about Sergeant Coric or Kix? Can _you_ visit her?”

He shakes his head, walking over to the ARC, "Not for a while." He squeezes Fives' shoulder when his head drops. "We can talk to her over the comm, and she's close to being discharged anyways."

"But..." The ARC straightens, defensively pulling out of Rex's grip, "she's lonely. She hates in there.”

“I know.” The Captain smiles sadly, “Skywalker’s back now, so he can stay with her. Kenobi too, and Senator Amidala."

"They aren't _us_." Fives says lowly, "They can't make her laugh like we can- well, maybe Skywalker can." He shakes his head, "she needs her brothers, Rex."

"We'll be there for her," Rex promises, "we're only a call away."

Fives sinks back further, distancing himself from Rex. It's a natural reflex many ARCs have- brought on by so much isolation whilst on missions. Fives’ forgotten what it's like to trust his vode with his emotions.

As if on cue, Fives' pager goes off on his belt, _"ARC-5555, you are required in briefing room S2. ARC-5555, you are required in briefing room S2."_

The ARC groans, “Well, I guess that’s it for my leave.”

Rex presses his lips together. The poor kid is burning the candle at both ends. Half a day is hardly enough time to unwind from his last mission. He wishes he could give Fives a pass, but his rank isn’t high enough to keep an ARC trooper on Coruscant when they’re needed in the field.

"I'll update you if anything changes with Ahsoka."

“You better.” Fives says, and he tries to use a teasing tone, but it just comes out as aggressive. The atmosphere in the room is too tense- it's suffocating. “I better get going.”

Rex nods, watching the ARC move towards the door, “Take it easy, vod. Hopefully, when you get back, everything will be normal again.”

“I hope so.” Fives says before pulling on his helmet. “Goodnight, Captain.”

* * *

By the time Obi-Wan mentally prepares himself for the conversation he’s about to have with Anakin, it's nearly midnight.

_Better late than never, wise one._

He pokes his head inside Ahsoka's room to see Anakin pulling a sheet over her sleeping form. There's an outline of the prosthetic leg beneath the thin blanket, and he can only hope it hadn't been too overwhelming for her.

Force knows, Anakin struggled when he first got his prosthetic.

"Obi-Wan." Anakin greets him as he exits the room- his voice gruff from exhaustion and stress.

"Anakin." He matches the younger Knight's low tone and catches up with him, "How did she get on?"

His former student’s lips flicker into a smile, “Great, actually. She was walking up and down this corridor until 1130."

"Wow," Obi-Wan can't help but express his shock at how quickly she’s adjusted, "that's impressive."

"That's Ahsoka- always impressing us." Anakin sighs, exiting the Halls of Healing and immediately starting towards his quarters.

"Anakin, I need to speak to you." Obi-Wan trails behind him, his nerves building.

"What about?" The Knight asks, entering his quarters and kicking off his boots by the door. "If this is about Rako Hardeen being hired by the Council, then I already know."

Obi-Wan pauses, feels himself lick his lips, "You do?"

"Honestly, Obi-Wan, you think I'm stupid." Anakin chuckles dryly, "Is this a new tradition that the Council have adopted? Hiring Jedi killers to do their dirty work?"

He frowns, "I'm not sure if you really know what's going on here."

"Oh, I do." Anakin spins around to face him, eyes narrowing. "The Council saw Hardeen was a capable bounty hunter after he shot Ahsoka. When did they recruit him? After I arrested him?"

_He has this all wrong, wise one._

Obi-Wan's half-tempted to go along with this false truth Anakin has come to believe in, but he can't.

"Hardeen was hired before we were attacked that night." Obi-Wan prepares himself to be thrown against the wall as soon as the truth leaves his lips. "You noticed I was wearing a bulletproof vest, right?"

Anakin’s hands come up to pull at his hair, "I don't understand-"

"We- _the Council_ \- needed a Jedi on the inside to uncover the plot to kidnap the Chancellor on Naboo. I-" for a moment, he considers lying and saying that he had been assigned the mission without any choice, "I volunteered to go on the inside."

His former student's face is skewed with confusion.

Obi-Wan sighs heavily, "Hardeen was supposed to shoot me, Anakin. I was going to be proclaimed dead and go undercover _as_ Hardeen."


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **T/W: Suicidal thoughts, detailed violence and dark, scary Anakin**

Ahsoka sits up in the middle of the night with the sensation of someone's hand around her neck. 

She feels like she's suffocating, and there are a thousand knives being stabbed repeatedly into her back. Gasping from the pain, she reaches out to hit the Healer's call button behind her bed when-

The door bursts open, and Master Che sounds more concerned than she’s ever heard her, “Ahsoka!”

She’s enveloped in the Healer’s arms, and before she can struggle and scream, Master Che penetrates her mental shields like they’re nothing, blocking out the pain from her skull.

“Master…” Ahsoka rasps out, leaning heavily on the older woman and clenching her eyes closed. “Help me…”

Master Che hushes her, “Quiet, child; I’ve got you.”

“Shall I get a sedative, ma’am?” Ahsoka hears a voice at the door over the rattling in her skull.

“No,” Master Che answers, “Leave us; I’ll settle her.”

This isn’t the Doctor who’s been treating Ahsoka for the past week. This is an entirely different person. Healer Che isn’t compassionate or warm, and now she’s projecting peace towards Ahsoka like it’s her job.

“Hurts, Master…” Ahsoka moans, her head pounding. “I don’t know where, but it hurts!”

_It is not your pain, young one._

She scrambles from her commlink, feeling fire ignite in her lungs whilst an icy fist curls around her heart, "Anakin!" Her voice cracks painfully.

“Ahsoka.” Master Che pins her arms to her side, holds her in a firm grip. “Try to relax, child. Your Master’s fine.”

“No, he’s not!” She cries, desperate to break free. She can feel Anakin’s pain over their bond; she needs to get to him.

Master Che puts a hand on her forehead and only has to say one word, “ _Sleep_.”

Then, all Ahsoka knows is darkness.

* * *

Anakin’s sees pure red.

He feels like he’s back on Tatooine, stepping out of that hut after closing his mother’s eyes. Obi-Wan looks at him with the same fear those Tusken Raiders held in their goggled-eyes.

His comm beeps, Master Che’s sharp voice echoing around his quarters, _“There better be a bloody good reason why you just scared your Padawan awake, Skywalker. If she wakes up from the sleep suggestion I just gave her, I’ll be knocking on your door.”_

Kriff, Ahsoka.

He quickly blocks his bond to the Togruta, knows she won’t be able to cope with all the emotions going through him right now. Heck, he can barely handle it.

She may not be feeling his rage anymore, but his fists are still shaking, and his jaw aches from how hard he’s gritting his teeth.

Obi-Wan's expression is impossible to read but Anakin easily senses guilt and sorrow swirling around his Force-signature. There’s also fear.

Fear of him

The darkness within Anakin says, _let him be afraid_. 

He takes a deep breath.

"You better have a kriffing good explanation or else I will be leaving this Order by tomorrow morning and taking Ahsoka with me."

He dares Obi-Wan to say he's bluffing.

* * *

Even as a Knight, the old 'I'm going to run away' trick is Anakin's go-to. 

This time though, Obi-Wan’s worried Anakin will genuinely leave. Obi-Wan has always told himself he would never force Anakin to stay in the Order, but taking Ahsoka away as well?

The Jedi Order is her life. She’s never known any other family, home, or lifestyle. With her injuries, would she even be able to survive outside the Order?

_It was the Order that gave her those injuries, wise one._

"Well?" Anakin asks, crosses his arms over his chest, his Force-signature pulsing like a grenade. “I’m waiting, and I’m not known for my patience.”

He isn’t.

Obi-Wan rubs the back of his head, feels like he's stood in front of Master Qui-Gon instead of his own Apprentice, "You're not going to like this." 

Anakin raises an amused brow although he's anything but amused. "Really?"

Obi-Wan decides to just bite the bullet. "I volunteered for this mission because I knew my death could be convincingly faked by using your reaction to seal the deal."

It sounds so stupid when he says it out loud.

Anakin's right eye twitches, "My reaction?"

"Everyone knows how close we are." Obi-Wan emphasises, "I took a vital suppressor and wore the bulletproof vest. The plan was for Hardeen to shoot me and supposedly kill me. Killing a Jedi is a sure way for a bounty hunter to be accepted as one of Dooku's pawns."

He watches Anakin swallow hard before speaking, "You were going to fake your death?"

"That was the original plan, yes." Obi-Wan says, "Ahsoka was never supposed to be put in harm's way, that's why I told her to stay on the street."

"She takes after me when it comes to following orders." Anakin mutters before raising his voice, "Besides, she saw you were about to be shot! If I had been closer, I would've done the same!"

"I know." Obi-Wan keeps his voice low- yelling back at Anakin never works. "It was only after Ahsoka fell off the rooftop that I realised how flawed the Council's plan was."

“It wouldn’t have been flawed if Ahsoka and I had been told what was going to happen.” Anakin says, and he’s absolutely right.

Silence follows, and Obi-Wan waits a while before pressing for conversation. Considering Anakin hasn't punched a hole in the wall yet, he’s taking the news well, but he doesn’t want to test him.

"As I said," Obi-Wan walks towards him carefully, as if he’s a wild animal, "we didn't intend for Ahsoka, or you, to be at any risk-"

"What if he killed you?!" Anakin roars, making Obi-Wan wince. "What if you fell off the building after being shot? Ahsoka was kriffing lucky to survive!"

"You've had to hold your Master's dead body, Obi-Wan. Ahsoka is younger than you were when Master Qui-Gon died. Were you willing to make me- or _her_ \- hold your body?"

He remembers Ahsoka telling him about her visions where she finds him dead.

He feels sick. Why did he never consider how much his ‘death’ would affect two of the most important people in his life?

Anakin and Ahsoka are his everything, and he was willing to hurt them.

"Brother, I would never wish that on either of you in a million years. You and Ahsoka are... You two are the only family I have left." He takes a deep breath, feels completely ashamed, "Unfortunately, the Council had no other choice but to go through with this plan."

It's just an excuse, and Obi-Wan knows it.

"The plan didn't kriffing work." Anakin stands and paces to the window, "Ahsoka's going to be off the field for months, and you weren't exactly in the best health after Hardeen's attack, so who's going to save the Chancellor now?"

"Mace took up the mission as Hardeen." Obi-Wan says, not moving any closer to the Knight. "He's officially on meditative retreat."

Anakin scoffs, “That explains why I managed to get off Orondia alive.”

He looks over his shoulder at Obi-Wan, “I guess nobody loves Windu enough to give a convincing reaction to his death, is that right?"

“I wasn’t involved.” Obi-Wan says.

“Here I was thinking the Jedi Order shuns attachment and yet they were relying on my reaction to confirm your death. Seems ironic.”

It is.

"Where's the real Hardeen?"

Obi-Wan's face hardens, "I'm not going to tell you, Anakin. Killing him will not bring back Ahsoka's leg."

Anakin watches the rain drizzling against the window, "No, but it'll deter others from trying to hurt her."

"You can't protect her from everything." He walks over to the Knight and cautiously rests a hand on his shoulder, says, “I know this is a lot to take in, and I truly don't know how to apologise-"

"I'm not the one you need to apologise to." Anakin spits, whirling around and knocking his hand away, "I'm not the one with a spinal injury, amputated leg, paralysed arm and inpatient depression.”

“Then again," he scoffs, "no amount of apologising will help Ahsoka right now."

He’s right. Maybe Ahsoka would be better off if Obi-Wan did die.

His hand twitches besides his lightsaber, and for a second, Obi-Wan considers it.

As soon as he thinks it, the lightsaber is pulled from his belt and lands in Anakin's outstretched hand. Selfishness washes over Obi-Wan as his former student glares at him. 

"If you did it, I would have to do it too. Right now, Ahsoka needs me here, and she needs you too.”

* * *

Anakin feels himself trembling, and it's not from anger.

Keeping his eyes on Obi-Wan's blank expression, he tosses the lightsaber to the couch and then does the same with his own. 

They aren't Jedi right now.

Without breaking eye contact, Anakin steps towards his mentor, feels cracks surfacing in his friend's Force-signature. He takes Obi-Wan's shoulders and lowers them to the floor before his brother breaks down in his arms.

Obi-Wan tries to pull away, but Anakin doesn't let him. He pushes his friend's head into his shoulder and starts to feel the sobs racking through his body. Anakin can only think of one thing to say. 

"I would've been shattered if Hardeen killed you, Obi-Wan, even if you only faked your death. It would've broken me beyond repair.”

He’s already lost his mother. Losing someone else would truly destroy him. 

He gently prods at Obi-Wan’s mental shields as the great Negotiator falls apart. The guilt is overpowering like a bitter root whose taste can’t be washed away with water or wine.

Beneath the guilt is a darkness which Anakin is familiar with; the same feelings he experienced in the time surrounding his mother’s death.

Obi-Wan’s mind has always been comforting to Anakin’s internal storm, but now he’s the one in need of support. Anakin gladly provides.

He may still be furious at the Council, but Obi-Wan is the closest friend he has, and he swore to himself the Order would never get between their friendship. Windu and Yoda- on the other hand- may be receiving different treatment from Anakin when he sees them.

They sit on the floor of Anakin’s quarters- minds and bodies entangled in a secure embrace- for the rest of the night. Obi-Wan’s cries eventually die down, but Anakin doesn’t let him go.

He’s almost afraid to.

* * *

"General."

"Captain." Anakin nods back at Rex, turning into the 501st barracks with him. "Just the man I was looking for."

"How's she doing?"

"Good." He says, smiling a little _too_ widely. "She got on with her leg really well last night."

Rex's face brightens, "I'm glad to hear that, sir."

"I'm afraid I've come to ask you for a favour."

The Captain straightens, "Anything, sir."

"I've got an important meeting to attend," Anakin lies, "and I may not be back when Ahsoka wakes up. Could you take her for a walk outside her hospital room?"

Rex frowns slightly, "I'd love to, sir, but I thought you said the clones are banned from the Halls of Healing?”

“As per Master Che’s orders, but it’s her day off.” Anakin says, remembering she was on the night shift. "There's nobody else I want around Ahsoka right now besides her Captain."

He means that; he can't trust any Jedi to keep an eye on Snips, and Padmé's already left for Naboo.

That settles it for the clone who nods, "Leave it to me, sir. I'll make sure she gets some fresh air."

"Thank you," Anakin sighs, feels a weight being lifted from his shoulders. That gives him about two hours to visit the _real_ Hardeen and settle a few things.

Obi-Wan refused to tell him where the criminal is being kept, but Anakin has his sources. Turns out, Commander Fox has been aware of the entire plan since before it began, hence why the Coruscant Guard didn’t put themselves through the trouble of tracking Hardeen down after Ahsoka was shot.

It doesn't matter if this bounty hunter was being played; he was paid to shoot a Jedi which nearly cost Ahsoka her life. Anakin has a few words to say to him. Well, maybe a bit more than a few words.

* * *

Fox is manning the central access point when Skywalker arrives. He knows Jedi are at their most serious when their faces are barely visible beneath the hoods of their cloaks, so Fox keeps his greeting clipped.

"General Skywalker, what can I do for you?"

Skywalker looks around, and the guards get the cue, shuffling back out of earshot. Fox doesn't let himself be intimidated; there's bulletproof glass between him and this hot-tempered Jedi after all, but he can't help the slight clench of his jaw when Skywalker's glare turns to him.

"I think you know why I'm here."

Fox isn't spineless, but he has to admit Skywalker’s a scary guy. The Commander can see why he's such an effective General.

Really, he should've known why Skywalker came to the detention centre. When General Windu got brought in under disguise, one of Fox's medics had to patch him up for a snapped wrist.

Mess with Ahsoka Tano, and you better hope Anakin Skywalker doesn't find you.

His training makes him hesitate: _prisoners will not be physically assaulted within the facility._

Technically, Jedi have clearance to visit any prisoner in the entire facility. Rako Hardeen might need a bacta patch or two after Skywalker visits him, but Fox doesn't really care. He heard about the state Commander Tano's in. Hardeen's two-month sentence is pathetic considering he disabled a teenager.

"I'll escort you myself." He says, finding the right key card and then exiting the office. He nods at his guards, "I'll be back shortly."

"Sir, yes, sir." They snap, making Fox smirk as he takes off his helmet.

"Thank you, Commander." Skywalker says as they start walking, and he sounds like a machine with how much he's forcing his words.

Fox thought Skywalker was unaware of Windu going undercover to play Hardeen, but he obviously knows the truth or else he wouldn't be here. Fox glances at the General, sees a deep frown on his face. He's glad he wasn't there when Skywalker found out this was all part of the Council's plan to protect the Chancellor.

 _Good intention, bad execution_ , Fox decides. He'd lay down his life for the Chancellor in a heartbeat, but faking a death to go undercover?

Seems a little excessive. Officially, Windu’s on leave, and nobody has questioned that, so why did they feel the need to make such a big song and dance over faking Kenobi’s death?

"The prisoner is being kept on the lowest level." He informs Skywalker, opening a lift for them and stepping inside. "I must ask, General, are you carrying any-"

A lightsaber is held out to him before Fox can finish. "I don't need it."

Fox attaches the weapon to his belt, "Thank you, sir."

The lift stops, and Fox lets Skywalker step out first. The Jedi glances around, "New facilities, Commander?"

"Um, yes," Relief floods him at Skywalker's light, conversational tone. Fox isn't much of a talker, but he welcomes this change of subject. "Built just a few months ago. Down here we have a new gym, trade school and even a swimming pool."

Skywalker hums as they walk down the well-lit corridor. "These dogs live better than I do."

Fox feels his jaw tighten, "The Senate believes rehabilitation is more sustainable than punishment."

"And what do _you_ think?" Skywalker asks, looking his way.

 _This_ is why Skywalker's different from other Jedi.

He isn't prim and proper and orthodox. He cares about what clone officers think, and he knows not everything in the universe is as perfect as the Senate believes it is. Nobody has ever asked Fox what he thinks about the rehabilitation method of criminal justice.

“Depends on the crime and who the criminal is.” Fox says, “We have a juvenile detention facility here, and most of those ankle-bitters will be able to live crime-free lives with good jobs and families if we can rehabilitate them.”

Thorn’s in charge of handling the young offenders, and they may be violent and bad-mouthed, but Fox knows a lot of them are decent people. Rough crowds tend to make rough individuals.

"I think some criminals don't deserve second chances." He stops outside the cell. "Our friend here, for example."

Skywalker nods in agreement, shrugging his cloak off his shoulders and allowing it to fall gracefully to the floor. "On Tatooine, crimes were punished with sitting in a pit for twenty-four hours. Nobody ever re-offended."

Fox scoffs, "Respectfully, sir, pick-pockets on Tatooine aren't the same as murders in the underworld. You could threaten them with the death sentence and they'd still kill somebody if the bounty's big enough."

"Trust me,” Skywalker cracks his knuckles, the sound echoing through the corridor. “Hardeen's going to _wish_ he was given the death sentence."

_Prisoners will not be physically assaulted within the facility._

Fox won't have to say anything. He'll go back to his day-to-day tasks, and if anyone asks what Skywalker did to Hardeen, he can just shrug. Nobody will think he knows any different.

He swipes the key card, opening the door to Hardeen's cell. He isn't worried about getting attacked by the prisoner whilst a Jedi Knight is stood next to him. If anything, _Hardeen_ should be afraid.

"Breakfast is in an hour, sir." He says, passes the key card over, "Try to make him look presentable."

"Don't worry;" Skywalker smirks darkly, "I'll make a meal out of him."

* * *

"You alright there, Commander?" 

Ahsoka jumps at Rex’s voice, looks up from fiddling with her armbands to see him standing in the doorway to her room. 

"You don't even want to feel Master Che's wrath when she sees you here." She smirks, smoothing out her skirt. It feels good to be back in her normal attire. Granted, she can't pull her leggings over the prosthetic and she needs a bigger left boot, but it's a start. "She'll eat you for breakfast."

Rex lets out a laugh, unbothered by the threat. The banter is certainly more refreshing than the horrible sensation of something dreadful happening to Anakin the night before.

"Shouldn't you be getting the men ready to go to Naboo?" She asks, raising an eye-marking as Rex walks towards her bed.

"We haven't been deployed there." He says, resting his helmet on the end of her mattress, "Our invite must have got lost in the mail. Do you need a hand with that?" He nods to where her armbands are hanging loosely around her elbow.

"Please." Ahsoka waves her left hand, her fingers flopping around uselessly. "My fingers aren't cooperating."

Rex chuckles, lifting the bands into their rightful positions around her bicep. "I had the same problem after I got shot on Saluecami."

She presses her lips together- Rex rarely talks about Saluecami. "Cody had to help me with my armour for two weeks afterwards."

"At least it wasn't Master Che who had to help you put on your underwear." Ahsoka cringes at the memory of the Healer having to help her earlier.

Rex laughs again, stepping back once he’s finished with the final armband, "Rumour has it, Fives gave you a peep show yesterday."

"It isn't the first time I've seen a clone naked, Rex.” Ahsoka holds out her arm to admire the diamonds that her armbands form against her skin. “Remember, Anakin sends _me_ to fetch you for debriefings. Did he send you here on babysitting duty again?"

She hasn’t seen Anakin yet today, and she’s curious about the experience she had the night before.

"The General will be here soon, littlun. Until then," Rex extends a hand, "I'm supposed to take you for a walk outside."

"Outside?" Ahsoka excitedly takes his hand and slowly stands up from the bed. Putting weight through the prosthetic still makes her nervous, but she trusts the Healers and Anakin's mechanics. Besides, Rex won't let her fall.

"With all due respect, sir, you've been cooped up in here for far too long." Rex waits until she finds her feet before cocking out his elbow. Ahsoka slips her hand in, gripping his vambrace tightly as she takes a few precautionary steps. "Nice skipper."

"Skipper?" She repeats, frowns. Rex nods down at her leg, "Oh, why skipper?"

He shrugs as they begin to walk- slowly- out of the room. "General Skywalker tried to get morale up in the 501st by getting the guys to come up with a name for your new leg."

Ahsoka can't help but laugh; Anakin's such a child. 

“Skipper's the most promising name you have right now." Rex continues, “Everyone else's suggestions were just downright inappropriate. Fives' was so bad I gave him dish duty."

"Poor Fives." Ahsoka muses, smiling, "He's been getting in a lot of trouble recently."

"No Echo to keep him in line." Rex says, a little sadness in his tone. “Watch your step, Commander.”

He helps her down three steps which lead out of the Halls of Healing. Ahsoka looks down at her feet, trying to focus on not falling, “Where would you like to go?”

“The courtyards should be nice,” she suggests, remembering all the time she spent there as a youngling.

They stroll casually, enjoying the nice weather and the sound of birds singing in the trees. It’s kind of surreal to see birds on Coruscant- it reminds Ahsoka of Shilli or some of the other grassland planets she’s visited during her time as Anakin’s student.

It’s peaceful.

* * *

Anakin takes slow steps into Hardeen's cell, making sure his footsteps echo loudly. He wants Hardeen to fear him. He _should_ be afraid.

The bounty hunter’s slouched in the corner of the room, knees bent and elbows resting over them. His face is burrowed in his orange sleeve, eyes hidden even when he identifies Anakin, "Skywalker."

"Hardeen." Anakin keeps his tone low, not quite a growl but bordering on one. He stands over the prisoner, arms crossed firmly over his chest, "You've been expecting me, I assume."

He lifts his head, and Anakin can just see his eyes gleaming in the low light. "I was paid to kill Kenobi; I knew you wouldn't let that slide."

Anakin's features harden as he crouches, coming to eye level with this scumbag. "But you _didn't_ kill Kenobi. You hurt somebody else. I don't think you actually know _what_ you've done."

_Calm yourself, Chosen One._

Hardeen grins, his breath stagnant in Anakin's face, "That little girl made quite a scream when she fell off the rooftop."

The Jedi overboils.

Hardeen grunts as he's lifted off the floor by his neck and pinned against the wall. With his metal hand which isn't gripping his throat, Anakin punches his stomach. Hardeen's groan is music to his ears. It sounds like revenge; it sounds like justice.

"Listen to me," Anakin hisses, leaning so close to Hardeen's face he can see the fear in his eyes, "Watch your mouth, or else I won’t stop myself from killing you.”

_You must resist, Chosen One!_

"Don't hesitate, Jedi," Hardeen gasps, trying to pry Anakin's hand off his throat but his grip is steel. "Killing me will only put me out of my misery; you'd be doing me a favour."

Anakin's grip around Hardeen’s neck gets close to completely crushing before he throws the man against the far wall of the cell, smiling at the sound of his heavy body hitting the ground. 

He puts his boot on Hardeen's head when the prisoner tries to stand up, and he applies a medium pressure, just enough to make Hardeen feel like his eyeballs are going to pop out. Reaching down, he grabs the man's arms and pulls them backwards, making them creak like an old set of wooden stairs.

Hardeen screams as his shoulders are pushed out of their sockets. Anakin chuckles, letting go only to kick the scum onto his side, annihilating his stomach with his steel-toed boot. Watto did this to him once as a kid, so he knows how much pain he's causing the bounty hunter.

"S-Stop!" Hardeen cries, trying to push him away. 

"Never." Anakin growls back. He drops his knee onto Hardeen's chest, hears a few ribs split beneath his weight. 

Hardeen's gargling now, all the air forced through his lungs and his throat too badly damaged to speak. "Nothing you do or say will make me stop hurting you. You're going to take this punishment like your life depends on it because it does. Protest again, and you won't see the next hour."

It's recited lines; things he's heard being said during his time in slavery. The threats haunted him as a child, but now he can finally put that fear into somebody else, and it feels good. 

Hardeen coughs, blood splattering down his chin, and he feverishly gasps. Anakin smirks, the bastard's choking on his own blood. 

"My, my, the predator has become the prey."

Hardeen stares up at him, rasping now. There's nothing but terror in his eyes, and Anakin wishes the Council were here to see how weak and pathetic this bounty hunter is. They should've never hired someone so spineless to do their dirty work. 

"Got anything else to say, Hardeen?" Anakin asks, silently daring him to speak. If he stays quiet, Anakin will leave without causing him any more damage. 

Hardeen turns his head to one side and spits blood onto the cell floor, "You care about that bitch like she's more than just your Padawan, Skywalker. What is she to you? A good time?"

Anakin doesn’t hesitate. He grabs the sides of Hardeen's face, lifts it up and then throws it back to the ground.

_No, Chosen One! You fool!_

The crack resonates through the cell. Hardeen's eyes go glazed as blood starts to pool around his head. Anakin instantly knows he's gone too far, but somehow, this isn't enough.

Hardeen's in pain- it's clear in the Force- but he's not in as much pain as Ahsoka was in.

Anakin picks up his left arm and holds it in front of Hardeen's face. He wants the criminal to feel, hear and see this.

The half-dead man lets out a choked gasp when his forearm is snapped. The blood is everywhere, quickly coating Anakin's robes and covering his hands. The sight doesn't scare him like it used to; it's comforting to know justice has _finally_ been served.

Hardeen deserved nothing less than death the day he accepted his mission.


	12. Chapter 12

Fox nods at Anakin as he leaves the facility, a silent promise to clean up the mess and falsify a report or two. The Commander isn't the type to allow Jedi to kill prisoners within his facility, but he can see the look in Anakin's eyes. If he protests this justice, he'll end up in the same state as Hardeen.

He wants to tell the Chancellor, knowing the man will find forgiveness in his heart and help cover up the evidence, but he can’t. Nobody, besides Commander Fox and the Jedi Council, know the real Hardeen is in prison whilst Mace Windu parades around in his skin.

Besides, the Chancellor has his own problems with his upcoming trip to Naboo; he can’t carry Anakin’s troubles as well.

He breaks down in sobs as he dials Padmé’s frequency, even though he never ends up calling her. He can imagine her look of disappointment on her perfect face. Could she ever look at him again without seeing a man who murdered an unarmed prisoner in cold blood?

He wonders how his mother would look at him right now, knowing what he’s just done. She’d probably fall to her knees, crying his name.

She’d be broken.

Walking into the Temple doesn’t feel right. It isn’t honourable to enter a holy place with so much blood on his hands- literally. He goes to his quarters, ignoring ever Jedi who tries to speak to him on the way there.

He turns the water up to scalding, pushing Hardeen’s pain-filled grunts out of his head with the sound of rushing water. Anakin watches the bloody water swirling down the drain, tells himself over and over, _the man deserved to die._

Hardeen deserved all the pain and suffering. Ahsoka didn’t. Now, justice has been served. Anakin’s got what he wanted.

Afterwards, when he’s stopped shaking, Anakin sits on the couch; he doesn’t know what to do with himself. He has to go to Naboo tomorrow, and if he doesn’t have his head on straight, then more blood will be on his hands.

It’ll be his friends’ blood this time, not some merciless bounty hunter.

Anakin stands, runs a hand down his face and leaves his quarters, following Ahsoka’s Force-signature to the Temple’s courtyard. There’s a metallic taste of blood in his mouth, and he knows red stains are hiding under his nails, but no matter how hard he scrubs, he doesn’t think he’ll ever be clean again.

He hasn’t been clean since he killed those Tusken Raiders on Tatooine; what’s one more murder under his belt?

* * *

"I don’t believe you got all the way out here on your own."

Ahsoka looks up at Anakin as he walks over to them, arms crossed over his chest and wearing a cocky smirk. Tenderly, she presses on their bond, seeing if he’s still feeling the way he did last night.

His shields are up tight, too strong for her to break. Ahsoka huffs inwardly; she’ll have to ask him about what happened later.

"Rex is my witness." She tilts her head towards the Captain with a small smile before standing up. “We had to sneak around Master Che-”

_Young one!_

She overbalances, forgetting about her prosthetic. A split second of panic is all it takes for her to start falling.

Anakin's eyes widen as he darts forwards, catching her with two hands under her armpits. His grip tugs on her shoulder wound, but it's better than having her sore body crash onto the courtyard.

"Don't do that to me, Snips." She hears him mutter as he lifts her back onto the bench. "Does anything hurt?" He scans her body cautiously.

"I'm fine, Master." She says, trying to shake off the adrenaline that rushed through her when her leg gave way.

"If you can tame her, General, I better get back to the barracks." After he receives a nod of permission, Rex stands and puts his helmet under his arm again. He winks at Ahsoka before he turns to leave, "Later, kid."

Once the Captain leaves, Anakin drops to one knee and stars tinkering with her prosthetic. Ahsoka sighs as he pulls out a servodriver, "What are you doing to Skipper?"

Anakin chuckles, "Skipper nearly slipped a disk when you tried to stand up too fast, my young Padawan. I need to tighten the joint suspenders."

She lets him fix the prosthetic- knowing there's no stopping him- whilst she sits on the bench. She leans back on her hands, tries to act casual, "What happened last night?”

He keeps working, but she feels his grip tighten by a fraction on her leg, “What do you mean?”

Playing ignorant; classic.

“I thought you died or something.” She says, her voice quieter as she admits it out loud. “I was asleep, but then I woke up to your pain hitting me through the Force like a speeder.”

“I’m sorry for waking you,” he mutters, keeping his eyes down.

“Anakin.” She waits until he lifts his head, “Just tell me what happened.”

“I dropped one of Obi-Wan’s mugs,” he says, and Ahsoka can see through the lie like it’s glass, “his favourite one, and I thought he would be angry at me.”

Anakin’s never been embarrassed to break something, especially when it’s something of Obi-Wan’s.

Ahsoka nods, says nothing. She can’t believe he just blatantly lied to her face. The pain she felt through their bond was definitely not from breaking a mug.

More like breaking a heart or something.

She can’t be bothered to call him out for his crap.

“All fixed.” Anakin sighs, sitting back on his heels.

She tests the limb, “Do you think I'll be able to fight like I used to?"

Anakin looks up at her. She can tell he's chewing his words to find the right answer.

She already knows she’ll never be able to fight like she used to.

"You'll have to adapt." Anakin eventually says, "You'll have to work your shebs off, but I have faith in you. We’ll get you there."

“I never thought I would miss the front lines.” She muses, and Anakin hums in agreement. He’s been grounded to the Temple just like she is.

It's quiet in the courtyard, and she's grateful for that, although she's starting to get bored of only speaking to only a handful of people for hours on end. She wants some action, some excitement. 

"Where's Senator Amidala?" She asks, "I haven't seen her recently."

"She's already on Naboo." Anakin replies, not even having to think about it as he stands, “Go careful this time.”

Slowly, Ahsoka stands up, making sure her shoulders, knees and ankles are aligned. Anakin watches her carefully, ready to catch her at any time. It reminds her of early on in her Apprenticeship when he was teaching her complex acrobatic sequences and was constantly paranoid she would break her neck if he looked away.

She extends her legs, reaching her full height, "That feels fine now."

"I'll have to teach you to fix Skipper when I'm not around." He says, adopting the new name as he stands up as well.

"Can I try walking on my own?" She asks before he can take a hold of her elbow. "I think I can do it."

Anakin's gaze clouds with worry, but he nods. "I'll be right beside you if you need me."

Like he always is.

Ahsoka floods their bond with gratefulness, knows she’ll never be able to put her appreciation of her Master into words. Anakin smiles back, giving her a mock salute before coming to her side.

Ahsoka straightens her spine- only feels a slight twinge- and spreads out her hands before she takes her first step. Her left arm will do very little to catch her if she falls, but Anakin knows this and stands on her left side, hovering near but still giving her independence.

Taking a deep breath, Ahsoka puts her faith into Skipper and starts to walk. It's strange to have to re-learn a skill she's had since before Master Plo found her. Mostly, her body is using muscle memory, except she has a completely new limb to try and utilise. 

"Very good." Anakin praises once she takes five successful steps forwards. "Keep your eyes up, just like Healer Tyson told you."

She lifts her gaze, tries to remain calm and keep her posture in check. Her next few steps are less wobbly, and Skipper holds up well. Anakin projects pride through their bond, giving her even more confidence.

It isn't until a wave of dizziness washes over her that she comes to a stop and clutches onto Anakin, watching the courtyard spin as a vision comes on.

_The planet Serenno. Rako Hardeen in a room. A box. Cad Bane. More bounty hunters. Competition. Count Dooku watching Hardeen with Moralo Eval._

_"I'm beginning to think he may be the best one to lead this operation."_

* * *

Anakin knows what it looks like when a Jedi’s having a vision. That's the only thing stopping him from hailing Master Che when Ahsoka goes slack in his arms. As she trembles with her eyes clenched shut, he sweeps her into his arms and brings her back to the bench.

As soon as she's sat back down, her eyes snap open and she gasps, tears threatening to fall down her face.

"Easy, Snips; it wasn't real." He says, sitting beside her and putting an arm around her shoulders to keep her upright. "It's fine, you're safe."

He projects love and comfort through their bond, knowing it will help more than words.

Her hand clutches his tunic, and every breath comes out like a shudder. He remembers being an Apprentice and rarely going to Obi-Wan when he had a vision out of fear of being dismissed, and he doesn’t want Ahsoka to ever feel like she can’t talk to him. 

Only when she's breathing normally does he speak, "Want to talk about what you saw?"

Ahsoka numbly shakes her head, leans heavily against his side. Sure, he could break through her shields and take a look for himself, but Anakin can respect her privacy; he rarely tells her about his own visions.

"Please, Master, can I go with you to Naboo?"

Anakin sighs, _of course,_ she tries to join him when he’s supposed to leave in less than an hour.

"Ahsoka, there's a threat to the Chancellor's life. It'll be safer if you stay here. Hardeen is rumoured to be there. I don't want him getting anywhere near you." 

He can’t believe he’s lying to her.

Anakin and Obi-Wan- after many hours of deliberation- concluded that Ahsoka shouldn’t find out about the Council’s plan. They agreed that what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her, and if everything goes well on Naboo, then they shouldn’t put more stress on her by telling her the truth.

It sucks, but Anakin is keeping this from her with her best intentions in mind.

"I'll be lonely." She murmurs, "Master Che doesn't like the clones coming, and you, Padmé and Master Obi-Wan will be gone. I'll be all on my own."

Another sigh escapes Anakin as he squeezes her shoulder. Togruta are a sociable species, and Ahsoka’s rarely isolated from others. Still, he can’t risk bringing her to Naboo. "Sorry, Snips. I need you to stay here, away from danger.”

She sighs sadly, “Yes, Master.”

He pulls her to his side, feels like an awful Master for making her upset. “You’re such a good kid, Ahsoka, and an even better friend. I promise to make it up to you when this is all over.”

She just nods, her lips pressed together tightly. He can tell she’s trying to hold herself together.

She drops her gaze to her hand and frowns, "It'll never be the same, will it?"

Anakin sighs, thankful for the change in conversation but it’s still a dreary subject, "Master Che said with physiotherapy and time, some of the nerve damage will-"

"Some." Ahsoka spits back, tries to clench her left fist but it only gets halfway. "I don't need some, Master, I need all of the damage to be fixed."

He feels helpless, sensing her frustration build in the Force. "You should be focusing on what you've already achieved instead of what you haven't, Ahsoka."

She stays quiet, just watches her hand that she tries to pull into a tight fist. Her shoulders tremble with the effort. Anakin lowers his hand and puts his fist into her palm. She clasps her fingers around his hand, managing to keep a strong grip which brings a small smile to her face.

"You couldn't do this until yesterday." He says, smiling as well.

Ahsoka lifts her eyes to meet his, the chevrons on her lekku darkening. "Sorry for getting upset, Master."

"You're fine, kiddo." He brings her into his side. "You've been through a rough ordeal, and you're handling it magnificently. You should be very proud of how far you've come, my Padawan."

His comm beeps, breaking their moment of serenity, and Anakin sighs, “That’s my cue to board the shuttle, Snips. I’ll tell Master Plo that I’m leaving so he can come down here.”

* * *

Ahsoka nods, feels unwelcome tears brim in her eyes. She loves Master Plo dearly, but it’s not the same as being around Anakin and the clones. Besides, the Force is still telling her that she cannot stay on Coruscant. 

_Your Master’s life depends on you going to Naboo, young one._

She can’t ignore her instincts.

When the time comes for Anakin to leave, Ahsoka is only a few- slow and steady- steps behind him. She leaves a note for Master Plo and hopes the ship will be too far to turn back by the time the Kel Dor gets her message. 

It isn’t the first time she’s gone behind Anakin’s back, but this somehow seems different from the Citadel.

Back then, Anakin didn’t want her to go due to the risk factor. She was a fit and healthy Jedi Padawan who didn’t want to be left behind whilst her Master went on one of the most exciting missions of the war.

Now, she’s an amputee with one working hand and no sense of balance, fearing for Anakin’s life.

Anakin always forgets to check the luggage hold. He’s too busy licking the Chancellor’s shebs to even notice her boarding the ship. 


	13. Chapter 13

The flight to Naboo is so awkward, Anakin can't even focus on flying.

Being stuck in the cockpit with the Chancellor and Obi-Wan is becoming unbearable. He's starting to wish he stayed on Coruscant with Ahsoka. Knowing he’ll be seeing Padmé in a few hours is the only thing keeping him going.

“What’s our ETA, Anakin?” Obi-Wan asks, even though the information is clear on the console.

“Three hours and thirteen minutes.” He replies, not taking his eyes away from the viewpoint.

He and Obi-Wan are on _alright_ terms. 

Anakin still feels rage rush through his veins whenever he sees his former Master, but there isn't much that can be done about that. Obi-Wan already apologised, and Anakin forgave him- he'll just never forget what Obi-Wan was willing to put him and Ahsoka through.

It's not like his apology makes a difference to Ahsoka's condition anyways.

_That does not mean you cannot forgive your Master, Chosen One._

He eases his grip on the controls and turns on auto-pilot, says, "If you'll excuse me, your Excellency."

Palpatine nods graciously as Anakin stands. He doesn't even look at Obi-Wan as he walks past. He considers a nap, but his mind is already working in overdrive so sleeping is out of the question. Instead, he goes to the back of the ship. Maybe he can find something to fix.

He gets the shock of his life when he sees a young Togruta huddled in the luggage hold.

Anakin jumps, swears whilst Ahsoka smiles up at him sheepishly, "Uh, hey, Master."

"Hey, Master?" Anakin crosses his arms over his chest, scowls, "Is that all you have to say for yourself, young lady?"

Ahsoka straightens out her legs- how did she even fit back here? "Master Plo said I could-"

"I'm not falling for that crappy excuse again." Anakin cuts her off. Ahsoka looks away, irritation swirling around her Force-signature.

He should be furious that she went behind his back- and he is- but Anakin is too emotionally drained to be annoyed at another person, especially when that person is Ahsoka.

"Move over."

"What?"

"You heard me, Snips." 

Ahsoka blinks before shifting herself to one side, "I don't think we'll both fit down here." Anakin ignores her, squatting beside her, "Oh, okay..."

Anakin hums, holding onto the crate beside him so he doesn't crush his petite Padawan, "Why did you disobey my orders and sneak onto the ship?" He keeps his tone clipped- silently telling her that lying is the worst thing she could do right now.

Ahsoka sighs, rubs her prosthetic knee, "I had a bad feeling about this trip. I didn't want to regret staying on Coruscant."

She looks up at him, and Anakin can see the fear in her eyes so clearly that he may as well be looking in a mirror. 

"Like the feeling that told me to take the shot for Master Obi-Wan." She looks so young, so vulnerable. “I can’t explain it.”

"You don’t have to. I understand." He says quietly, slinging an arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his side. "I have bad feelings about things all the time, Snips."

They sit in silence for a while, Ahsoka resting her head on his shoulder, so still that he thinks she’s fallen asleep. She’s skin and bones under his arm; she really needs to start eating more.

Even though her health isn’t excellent, her weight beside him allows the stress to evaporate from Anakin’s shoulders. She’s always been a light presence in his life- ever since she stepped off the transport on Christophsis.

Now, she’s one of the only people- besides Padmé- keeping him sane.

"I'm sorry..." he looks down at Ahsoka with a frown, waiting for her to explain, "for disobeying your orders."

"You should've told me you were worried about something happening." He scolds lightly.

Then again, would he have told her if he had a bad feeling about something? Probably not.

"I'm glad you're here, Snips. Spending this entire trip with Obi-Wan alone would've been torturous."

"What's wrong with Master Kenobi?"

 _Kriff._ Anakin immediately tenses.

When he found out about the Council's plan, he was furious about being left out of the loop- and he still is. How would Ahsoka react to the truth?

It's different keeping things from Ahsoka than keeping things from him. She's in an incredibly vulnerable position right now with her physical recovery accompanied with the trauma of the accident and the depression she’s suffered in the Halls of Healing.

Keeping secrets and lying... it isn't the same. She's an exception.

"Master?"

"Nothing's wrong with Obi-Wan; I love spending time with him." Anakin says far too quickly, then he lets out a nervous laugh which he knows Ahsoka notices because her eye markings furrow. 

"Then why were you all so quiet in the cockpit?" She asks.

He didn’t teach her to be this perceptive. 

"Aren't you nosy?" He taps her nose before withdrawing his hand from around her, hoping he’s able to cover his tracks. "Come on, Missy, time to tell your Grandmaster that we have a stowaway."

Ahsoka groans as she lets Anakin pull her up. "Play stupid games and you win stupid prizes, Snips."

* * *

Obi-Wan steps off the shuttle behind Anakin, already scanning their surroundings for any possible threats. With Windu acting as Hardeen, it’s fallen to the next most senior Jedi Master to be the Chancellor's primary bodyguard, aka Obi-Wan.

Anakin was quiet for most of the flight to Naboo. He may claim that he’s putting more blame on the Council than Obi-Wan, but he would be a fool to believe that.

Sure, the Council came up with the plan, but Obi-Wan volunteered to take it on.

He's just glad Ahsoka decided to sneak on board. If she hadn't, Anakin's mood would still be intolerable. He's perked up a lot since the Padawan was found hiding in the luggage hold.

Obi-Wan should've been surprised to see her following Anakin into the cockpit, but he really wasn't. 

Padmé’s waiting for them besides the Queen, and she sneaks a smile to Anakin- who unsurprisingly returns it- before she addresses Palpatine, "Welcome home, Chancellor. I'm thankful to the Jedi for bringing you here safely."

"Yes, Senator, it is good to be back-" Obi-Wan can tell Palpatine is about to insult the Jedi at any moment- "although, I think the amount of security accompanying me is overkill."

There it is.

"With all due respect, Chancellor," Anakin says, his voice full of adoration, "where your safety is concerned, there is no such thing as overkill."

_The Padawan, wise one!_

Palpatine's about to reply when Ahsoka yelps in pain. Obi-Wan’s already rushing to her side and hefting her off the floor at the bottom of the ramp. It looks like she went over her prosthetic and couldn’t catch herself with her poorly arm.

"Are you alright?" He asks softly, pushing away the Jedi Master within him who says this wouldn’t have happened if she stayed on Coruscant. 

"I'm fine," Ahsoka whispers, her voice cracking. He can feel the pure embarrassment and shame radiating off her as the Chancellor and other elites stare with varying degrees of pity on their faces.

"You good, Snips?" Anakin calls, although he doesn't come to her side like Obi-Wan expects him too. Instead, he turns to Palpatine, "Apologies, your Excellency. My Padawan is not quite as stable as she used to be."

He probably didn't mean to sound so harsh, and Anakin rarely pays attention to half the stuff that comes out of his mouth, but that doesn't mean Ahsoka isn't hurt by his words. 

For all she acts tough, she’s sensitive- just like her Master.

"And here I thought all Jedi were balanced." Palpatine says spitefully, "Yet they bring their injured to defend others. How effective."

Obi-Wan keeps his expression cool as Ahsoka sinks closer to his chest, the chevrons on her lekku darker than he has ever seen them. He puts a comforting hand on her back although she probably can't feel it through the brace, "Anakin, why don't you escort the Chancellor and the other VIPs to the centre. I'll meet you shortly."

Anakin nods, his face stony. "Follow me, your Excellency."

"I guess we should've practised going down ramps, Ahsoka." He murmurs once the others- all but Padmé- leave with Anakin. He takes her hands, notices that she grazed them on the ground but didn't break the skin- fortunately.

He can't imagine how angry Master Che would be if Ahsoka returned to Coruscant with _more_ injuries.

"Anakin's embarrassed by me." Ahsoka murmurs, rubbing her palms together and wincing. Obi-Wan's eyes are drawn to the moisture building between her lashes.

"Save your tears, Padawan." Obi-Wan scolds, crouching to examine her prosthetic which seems to have held up during her fall. "Now is not the time nor place to display such weakness."

The young girl nods, desperately trying to blink the tears away. Padmé glides towards them, takes Ahsoka's hands and blows kisses onto each one like a mother does for her children. Obi-Wan keeps his lips sealed as a lecture about attachment tries to spill out.

"I'll give Anakin a kick up the shebs for the way he acted just then, Ahsoka." The Senator says- it doesn't look like she's teasing.

"He's just stressed about the plot against the Chancellor." Ahsoka says, shrugging. Obi-Wan notices her left shoulder resists the movement.

"Don't let his sour mood ruin your time at the festival." Padmé wraps an arm around the girl before they start away from the ship. "Have you ever been to the Festival of Light? It's an annual event to celebrate the..."

Obi-Wan turns to the members of the Coruscant Guard when Padmé starts a history lesson, "Make sure Senator Amidala and Commander Tano make it to the centre without incident." 

Ahsoka’s not in the right state to defend herself, let alone somebody else. She’s carrying her main lightsaber, but Obi-Wan doubts she'll be able to use it properly in her current condition.

_Do not underestimate her, wise one._

"Sir, yes, sir." The clones salute and jog to catch up with the two women who are moving slowly due to Ahsoka's leg. 

Obi-Wan has a horrible feeling that letting her come off the ship was a mistake.

* * *

"Maybe I should've stayed at the Temple." Ahsoka says, trying her hardest to keep her voice steady. Obi-Wan's right; this isn't the place to cry, especially over something so small as falling down a ramp.

The fall didn't hurt half as bad as hearing the disappointment in Anakin’s voice afterwards.

"Nonsense, Ahsoka; I'm glad you came." Padmé says- as cheerful as ever- whilst the two clone escorts join them. 

Ahsoka thinks it's ironic. She's supposed to be the one protecting the Senator, and yet the politician is helping her walk along, and they're moving slower than Master Yoda right now.

"Master Skywalker said you intend to stay on Naboo for the week."

Ahsoka frowns, "He did?" Anakin didn't even want her to come to the festival.

Padmé nods, "I have a lake house not far from Theed; that's where Anakin organised a retreat for you after the festival."

Are they talking about the same Master Skywalker who just humiliated her in front of the Chancellor when she fell off the ramp? 

"So, are you up for a short vacation?" Padmé asks.

Ahsoka looks at her friend, being careful to still focus on walking steadily. "I'd love to, Senator, thank you."

Padmé squeezes her arm, "You're most welcome, Ahsoka."

* * *

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan calls, walking across the platform where Palpatine will give his speech later. Apart from the Knight and a few clone guards, the stage is empty. "Where's the Chancellor?"

The young man turns, still looking tempered. "In the safe room."

"Good." Obi-Wan steps in line with him, "You Padawan is fine, by the way."

Anakin rolls his eyes, "I was about to go and check on Ahsoka."

"Hm," sure he was, "any reason you made her feel like a burden by the shuttle?"

"Obi-Wan..." Anakin groans, turning to look at him. "I didn't mean to upset her. Do you think I would _purposefully_ hurt her? I'm not the Council."

It's a low blow- even by Anakin's standards- but Obi-Wan doesn't dwell on it. Anakin has every right to hold a grudge.

"I know I messed up, Anakin," Obi-Wan starts softly, "but your student doesn't deserve the brunt of your anger."

"I'm angry at her too, Obi-Wan, okay?" Anakin runs his fingers through his hair, "She had a vision this morning and wouldn't tell me what it was about. _Then_ , she broke my trust by sneaking onto the shuttle." 

"But... you're glad she came?" Obi-Wan raises an eyebrow, challenging his behaviour like he has done for the past ten or so years. He knows Anakin too well, even when there’s a rift between them.

"Don't push your limits." Anakin warns, and the elder Jedi feels tension knot in his shoulders. "Stop acting like nothing's changed between us."

Obi-Wan's face hardens, "I'm not, Anakin." 

A moment of awkward silence follows which Obi-Wan quickly breaks it, "Ahsoka has been having visions of me getting shot by Hardeen. I asked Master Yoda to investigate whilst we were away. I assumed they stopped, but I must be wrong."

"I'm fed up with _lies_ upon _lies_." Anakin snaps, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm her Master. If she's having visions, then I need to be told if they're enough to concern the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order."

Obi-Wan's about to reply when his commlink beeps and he sighs in relief when he sees whose frequency it is. "Mace, thank goodness you're alive."

 _"Yes,"_ Windu replies, and Anakin looks shocked at how the Jedi Master has Hardeen's voice, _"I've seen better days. I'm here in Theed."_

Anakin- unable to keep quiet- asks, "So, Dooku's plan is still on?"

_"Yes."_

Obi-Wan gives Anakin a look and says, "How are they planning to attack the Chancellor?"

 _"Three of the bounty hunters are disguised as Senate guards."_ Mace tells them, and they both subconsciously scan the Nabooian guards around them. _"Eval is the getaway driver, and they have a Parwan that can pass through the ray shield. I have a sniper rifle."_

Obi-Wan's eyebrows rise at the same time as Anakin's. _"Don't worry- it's loaded with stun blasts. I'm supposed to immobilise the Chancellor, not kill him."_

"Where are you?" Anakin asks.

_"In a tower overlooking the plaza."_

"So, the attack is going to take place outside?" Obi-Wan assumes.

 _"Yes."_ Even with Hardeen's voice, Windu's bluntness comes through. _"From here, I can be your eye in the sky. I'll be able to tell you everything that's going on. They will try to infiltrate the security area. Make sure you have someone double-check the guards' identities."_

"That's going to take time." Obi-Wan muses.

 _"You'll have to do your best, my friend."_ The commlink beeps- the light flickers out- and Obi-Wan gives Anakin a worried look.

"I wish the Chancellor wasn't so darn stubborn and just called off his appearance at the festival." Obi-Wan sighs, lowering his comm.

"We better check on him." Anakin replies, sighing as well. "Then, I'll need to speak to Ahsoka, probably apologise and make sure she's alright."

Obi-Wan hears the irritation in his voice. Not willing to make Anakin speak to Ahsoka whilst he's in this foul mood, he steps in, "I'll go to Ahsoka. You need to keep a straight head if you want to protect the Chancellor. We must remember our purpose here, Ani."

"I know, Mas- Obi-Wan." Anakin gives him an exasperated look whilst he tries not to flinch from the abrupt change in address, "Do you think she'll be mad?"

 _No_ , Obi-Wan wants to say, _just upset._

Instead, he settles for, "There'll be plenty of time for making up once the mission is over."


	14. Chapter 14

Ahsoka looks out over the city of Theed, propping her chin in her bruised hand as the Chancellor gives his speech on the stage. She can just about hear his words from the safe room, but everything coming out of his mouth goes straight over her head.

She can't see Anakin through the ray shield, but she can feel a combination of anticipation and adoration pouring off him in waves. What he finds so fascinating about Palpatine, she'll never know. 

He isn’t missing her, that’s for sure.

She's supposed to be protecting Anakin's back- like her vision told her to- but he doesn't even want her around. Heck, even Obi-Wan only started visiting her in the Halls of Healing after he was done working with the Council.

Sitting upright when the fireworks start, Ahsoka inspects her purple palms. She clenches her fists- at least the one that works- and wishes she could go back in time to the restaurant and demand that they ignored the Council's emergency meeting and just finished dessert.

She should've trusted her instincts and told her Masters that someone was watching them. Instead, she stayed quiet, and nearly got Obi-Wan killed.

Her injuries are nobody's fault but her own.

Sighing, Ahsoka carefully stands and unclips her lightsaber from her belt. If she's going to sit in this room all night, she may as well be productive. Igniting the single blade, she lets the gentle hum lull her into calm before practicing some gentle motions.

She doesn't trust her leg enough to do her usual drills but swinging her lightsaber whilst standing in one spot helps quieten her mind. The only thing she has to think about is not accidentally slicing off her left hand.

Just as she's about to lunge forwards to deliver the killing blow to her invisible opponent, she feels an icy breath against her montrals.

_Time to save your Master, young one._

She spins- a little wobbly- to find nothing behind her except the ray shield generator exploding into a ball of flames.

She leans out the window, squinting to spot her Master, only to see a wall of smoke surrounding the stage. Then, she sees the blue lightsaber, vibrant and bright. 

This is it. 

This is what her visions have been preparing her for. Although she's trembling, she raises her lightsaber and prepares to leave the safe room which Obi-Wan ordered her to stay in.

_Not that way, young one!_

She pauses, swivels around to face the window again. Closing her eyes, she feels the pull towards the ledge, a countdown that she needs to jump in _five... four... three... two... one..._

She lands- very roughly- on the back of Hardeen's speeder, but the bounty hunter is too preoccupied to notice her lowering herself beneath the vehicle, hanging onto the bottom and glancing back at the window she just jumped from.

Not bad, for an amputee.

Reality hits her like a slap in the face.

She's on the back of a speeder being driven by the bounty hunter who nearly killed her whilst aiming for her Grandmaster.

Kriff.

Ahsoka clings on tight with her working hand, feeling immensely grateful that Anakin trained her to have insane upper body strength.

Masking her Force-signature should her Master come looking for her, Ahsoka hangs onto the speeder until it stops and Hardeen climbs out.

With some difficulty, Ahsoka manages to traverse the speeder to crouch behind it, using it as cover as Hardeen meets up with his accomplices. She immediately spots Bane with his infamous wide-brimmed hat, and there’s a short man- a Phindian- who’s beside the blue-skinned bounty hunter.

Between them stands Palpatine.

Under normal circumstances, Ahsoka would rush in and save the Chancellor if for no other reason than to please the Council and her Master, but she doubts she can rescue him in her current state.

She hasn't tried running on her leg yet, and nothing would be more embarrassing than Bane laughing at her once she falls onto her face, and then shooting her.

Instead, she homes in her hearing to listen to their conversation. They may share some information about where they’re taking the Chancellor.

"Hardeen, you're not supposed to be here yet." Bane taunts, pushing Palpatine along with the muzzle of his blaster.

She can't see Hardeen's face, but she bets that he's smirking cockily. "I don't want to be double-crossed and left behind again."

Bane snarls, "I think we've all be double-crossed. Dooku's a no-show."

The short man throws his arms in the air, “What do we do with the Chancellor now?"

"Uh, hand him back to the Republic before you get life sentences?" Ahsoka mutters under her breath, "Dumb-asses."

 _"Ahsoka!"_ She freezes as Anakin screams her name through her commlink. _"Where are you?!"_

Bane, Hardeen, Palpatine and the short guy all turn her way.

Busted.

For several seconds, they just stare at each other, only half of Ahsoka's face poking over the top of the speeder. She has a few options, and all of them are risky. It’s a good thing Anakin is her Master or else she wouldn’t have the guts to try this.

She stands to her full height, outstretches a hand and pulls a trick which Anakin taught her to only use in extreme circumstances. It's a long shot, but it's the only plan she has.

"You want to fight each other instead of me." She infuses her words with a special Force-suggestion which is technically illegal to use under the Jedi Code- hence why Anakin taught her it.

 _Please work_ , she begs to the Force.

Mind tricks don't work well on Bane, and she doesn't think the other two are weak-minded by any means, but the short man suddenly grabs Hardeen's arm and dislocates his shoulder.

Ah, so that one is weak-minded.

Once Bane sees fists flying, he's quick to join in and sends Hardeen barrelling to the ground. Ahsoka can't help but feel some satisfaction.

Hardeen lifts his head, meets her eyes and... shakes his head at her?

He's messing with her.

Ahsoka growls and Force-jumps whilst Bane activates his rocket boots. He's so focused on firing his pistols that he isn't prepared for a small yet mighty Jedi to grab onto his back.

“Get off me, brat!” He yells, trying to grab her.

Ahsoka hangs on tight, unprepared when Hardeen manages to grab Bane’s ankle and send them flying into Palpatine.

Luckily for her wounded body, Ahsoka’s Jedi reflexes allow her to roll to an easy stop away from the chaos although her eyes are next set on Hardeen.

Just as she takes a step forward to confront him with her lightsaber, something is planted against her chest and sends her backwards. Her first thought is that she’s been shot, but then she realises it was a Force-push.

Hardeen is Force-sensitive?

She stares at the night sky above her, notices that her head hurts from hitting the ground, but apart from that, she’s completely in one piece. Hardeen was kind to only push her with the Force and not choke her with it.

She’s about to roll over and climb up when her mind is infiltrated by a presence that she somewhat recognises. Master Yoda? No, it’s Master Windu?

_Stay down, Tano._

What the kriff?

* * *

Obi-Wan and Anakin dismount from their speeder and soon have the bounty hunters surrounded. Anakin spots Ahsoka laying on her back a few metres away from the others, and he immediately skids to her side, fearing the worse.

“She’s fine.” Hardeen says, and it takes Anakin a second to remember that it’s Windu. “I didn’t push her hard.”

He takes a knee and helps Ahsoka sit up, still checking her for any injuries. Thank the Force, she seems unharmed, only dazed.

He _should’ve_ known that she was going to go after Hardeen.

Ahsoka blinks at him, “Master… Hardeen, he… he used the Force…”

Anakin feels his face fall.

_Fancy another lie, Chosen One?_

"Make sure the Chancellor is safely returned to the palace." Obi-Wan instructs someone, then says, "You did a good job, Mace."

Ahsoka looks up and her glazed eyes land on Hardeen, her mouth falling open as the realisation makes her pale, “You’re…”

“Snips-”

"Windu." Bane snarls as he’s pulled away by members of the Coruscant Guard, "I should've known."

He looks back at his Apprentice, sees a trickle of blood on her back lekku. He wonders if the head injury will make her forget about this, or at least make it easy for him to cover this up.

It’s too late. Anakin can see it on Ahsoka’s face.

She knows.

* * *

Her head hurts- a lot.

Ahsoka tries to focus on the physical pain instead of the thoughts swirling around her head. Her mind is a dark place right now, and she's pretty sure she'll start smelling like the Darkside if she doesn't get some self-control.

"Well?" Anakin taps his foot, standing _too_ close to the crate she's sat on. She wants to scream at him to back off, but her voice is currently nothing more than a rasp.

"The bruising is pretty bad, General. It's difficult to tell how extensive the bleeding is without a CT scan." The Coruscant Guard medic reports, prodding gloved fingers directly on the tenderness at the back of her head.

If the first head wound from falling off the rooftop went easy on her, this one certainly won't. The pounding is getting worse every second, and she's nauseous to the point where she can't even take painkillers.

Ahsoka keeps her gaze on one of the buildings in the distance as the medics step back and start exchanging 'quiet' words with Anakin. "Togruta headgear is complicated, sir. The sooner she's admitted to a medbay, the better."

He sighs, "I know."

So much for staying at Padmé's lake house. Although, Ahsoka doesn't really want to do anything anymore. On the ride back to the palace, Anakin told her the truth he and the Jedi Council have been hiding from her.

She doesn't even know how to react. All she knows is she's never felt like leaving the Order until now.

To say she’s heartbroken is an understatement.

She stands and starts to move away, ignoring the medics as they call out the risks of physical exertion whilst harbouring a head wound. Anakin says something sharply to make them stop before she hears a heavy set of footsteps behind her. It doesn't take long for Anakin to catch up with her.

"Listen, Snips, I know-

"You don't." She interrupts him before he can even begin listing off excuses. Ahsoka turns her head- ignores the pain- and manages to meet his eyes. "You just-” she cuts herself off and huffs, “Please, Anakin, just leave me alone."

His jaw clenches and she can tell he's about to protest because he's _worried about her_ but honestly, he's the last person she wants to be around right now.

In her peripheral, she sees Obi-Wan walking towards them.

Why can't they just leave her alone? She's starting to get sick of being on the receiving end of their pitiful gazes. 

She locks eyes with Anakin again, "If this what being a Master and Padawan is all about," her quiet voice cracks with tears, "then I don't want it anymore."

She pulls her Padawan braid off and tosses it at Anakin's feet. She doesn't stay long enough to watch his reaction.

Her bruised palms sting as she shoves open the door to the palace, and the Nabooian guards keep their distance as Ahsoka lands in Padmé's arms. 

"Come, Ahsoka." Padmé squeezes her tight as the two women embrace in the hallway, "Let's get some tea- away from your Masters."

When Padmé found out about the Council's plan to hire Hardeen to kill Obi-Wan, she didn't even look at the Jedi Masters and barely gave Anakin- her best friend- a second glance.

"They aren't my Masters anymore." Ahsoka says, her voice sounds odd from the tears she's trying to hold back. "The Jedi Order was my family, and they went against me..."

The brunt of their actions forces Ahsoka to her knees, making Padmé crouch to keep on holding her.

"What they did to you was horrible, Ahsoka, it really was." Padmé murmurs, stroking her back, "I’ll do _whatever_ it takes to ensure they never harm you again."

* * *

"Don't." Obi-Wan puts a hand on Anakin's shoulder before he goes to follow Ahsoka. "Let her have some space, Ani. She needs time."

For once, Anakin doesn't come back with a snarky comment. He crouches and picks up the silka bead braid off the cobblestone and attaches it to his belt. Obi-Wan watches him with his lips in a tight line.

Anakin cut off his braid many times during his Apprenticeship, and although Obi-Wan always knew he would be back, that doesn't stop the rejection from cutting deep.

"She isn't coming back." Anakin says, keying onto Obi-Wan’s thoughts as he watches the closed doors that Ahsoka entered. 

"You managed to forgive me, Anakin. It might take some time, but-"

"I _haven't_ forgiven you." Anakin seethes, whirling around to face him, "I thought I did, but now I realise I can _never_ forgive you, Obi-Wan. I can never forgive you because you hurt her and now, I've hurt her."

Obi-Wan takes a cautionary step backwards, feels numbness spread through his veins as he opens his mouth. "I-"

"I don't want to hear your excuses!" Anakin shouts, drawing attention to them, "All it is with you is excuses!"

"Skywalker." Mace with Hardeen's voice is even more terrifying than normal Mace. "The Chancellor wants to thank you for saving his life last night."

Anakin keeps on glaring at Obi-Wan for a few moments longer before stalking away to relish in Palpatine’s praises.

Windu turns to Obi-Wan after the younger Knight leaves, "Tano?"

"Threw her braid at him and went to see the Senator, I'm assuming." Obi-Wan says with a clipped tone. "Successful mission, wouldn't you say so?"

"Managed to piss off Skywalker and Tano: _great_. That'll be a fun ride back to Coruscant." Windu scowls, "I can't wait to get back into my robes."

"Yes, I think we'd all like to get back to normal." Obi-Wan gestures towards Anakin's retreating form, "We should give our regards to the elites," _and make sure Anakin doesn't do anything stupid._

“Generals.” A Coruscant Guard trooper steps up to them, and Obi-Wan instantly recognises him.

He tries to smile, “Pick.”

All he gets in response is a nod.

Obi-Wan’s face falls. Pick was on the gunship that transported Ahsoka to the Temple after Hardeen shot her. This shiny saw the state she was in, and now he knows the truth about what happened that night.

Force, Obi-Wan feels so stupid. Their secret plan- now unveiled- will soon get around every Battalion in the GAR, and anyone who admires Ahsoka will never be able to look Obi-Wan in the eye again.

The clones probably hate him, and Obi-Wan doesn’t blame them.

“Commander Fox thinks the Chancellor should return to Coruscant this evening.” Pick says, his voice cool and hard, “We have no idea if Dooku is on-planet or not. It’s safer to take him back to the Capital.”

“Sounds like a good idea.” Mace says, nodding.

Obi-Wan doesn’t know what to say.


	15. Chapter 15

Ahsoka's hand trembles as it tries to keep her mug of tea steady. Padmé notices, giving her a soft smile as she lowers the drink to the table and releases Ahsoka's white-knuckle grip on the handle.

She's angry at the Jedi for causing Ahsoka so much physical and emotional pain. Most of the time, Padmé disagrees with their politics, but she has never questioned their war strategies. After all, they're the Generals.

This though... this is a war crime.

Padmé's pretty sure the Council have broken multiple laws by executing this plan, both by deceiving the original Hardeen and by lying about their plan within their own party.

She doesn't think taking them to court will benefit anyone. After all, they've been using child soldiers for centuries and nobody has even batted an eyelid.

She sighs, bringing herself out of her thoughts to comfort the trembling Togruta. Ahsoka is curled up in a ball on the couch in the main palace lounge, practically nestled in Padmé’s lap.

"Breathe, Ahsoka." She urges softly, rubbing the girl's shoulder where the knotted blaster bolt scar lies. "Just focus on breathing."

From years spent with Anakin, Padmé knows how dangerous Force-sensitives can be when they panic. Ahsoka is holding herself together tremendously, but her mind has been through- _is going through_ \- some serious strain.

It's only a matter of time until she snaps.

"For my entire- entire life... I've wanted to," Ahsoka hiccups through her words, "wanted to make them proud... I just..."

"Feel unappreciated." Padmé finishes when Ahsoka is unable to, feeling a striking resemblance to her life as Queen of Naboo. "It's hard to be a young woman surrounded by older and more self-assured men, especially when they don't give you any credit for your competency."

Ahsoka nods through her tears.

"You're the most down to earth Jedi in the Order, and that's saying something considering I’m-" Padmé bites her tongue, "considering I get along so well with Anakin."

She wraps an arm around the girl, "You've saved my life on many occasions, Ahsoka, and I won't ever be able to repay you for your selflessness. Please, if you don't feel appreciated by the Council, feel appreciated by me."

The Togruta Jedi really doesn't get enough credit. No wonder she feels so betrayed by the Council right now. After years of loyalty to the Republic Senate, Padmé would be crestfallen if the Chancellor went behind her back like the Council did to Ahsoka.

* * *

"Once again, you have all distinguished yourselves in the eyes of the Republic," The Queen says, "and the people of Naboo are in your debt."

"It's all part of the job, your Highness." Anakin says, trying to act interested as he battles his inner demons. It feels like everyone's eyes are on the silka braid clipped to his belt.

He’s had a _very_ long week, and all he wants to do is sleep and be dead to the universe for a month.

"The Chancellor has decided to send most of the security detail back to Coruscant." Anakin says, turning to where Windu and Obi-Wan are approaching him. "With the threat now passed, _I'll_ be all the security he needs."

"I disagree." Windu says, still decked in Hardeen's attire and sporting his face and voice.

"Of course, you do." Anakin’s response is majorly out of line, but he doesn't bother backtracking. "Do you not trust me to protect him?"

Windu frowns, "Bang on, Skywalker. This mission has shown me I can't trust you or Obi-Wan to do your jobs properly. You," he points angrily at Anakin, "shouldn't have come to Orondia, and you," he turns to Obi-Wan, "shouldn't have let Tano take the shot for you. I've seen the security footage; _you_ _hesitated_."

They've never seen Windu so erratic, and it only fuels Anakin's rage.

"If you had to put your life into a bulletproof vest, I'm sure you would hesitate too, Master Windu!" Anakin challenges when Obi-Wan doesn't defend himself. "You're just saying that because _deep_ down, you know nobody would take a shot for you like Ahsoka did for Obi-Wan."

The two tempered Jedi stand chest-to-chest, nostrils flaring as they wait for the other man to throw the first fist. Obi-Wan puts a hand on their shoulders, tugging them apart. "Let's start acting like Jedi Generals again, gentlemen, at least in public."

"I quite agree, Master Kenobi!" A female voice Anakin can recognise anywhere cuts in, and he immediately backs away from Windu.

Padmé is storming towards them with a look of absolute fury on her face. "I'm no expert on the Code, but I'm pretty sure one of the Council's jobs isn't to put a child in harm's way and then _lie_ about it. Please, correct me if I'm wrong."

She pins all of them with a deadly glare. Anakin's never been intimidated of his wife before. Sure, Padmé is a politician through and through, but her skillset of heated diplomacy is usually aimed at Separatists and the Trade Federation- not him.

"Senator Amidala." Windu greets gruffly, most likely embarrassed he got caught out of his usual stoic composure. "I think you'll find the dealings of the Jedi Council are none of your concern."

"It _is_ when Ahsoka Tano is involved." Padmé states, and Anakin can't help but smile gratefully at his wife for standing up to the Council.

Then, her gaze lands on him, and he immediately wipes the smile off his lips. "You've let her down, Anakin. As her Master- and her _friend_ \- you should've told her the truth as soon as you found out."

Does she not think he knows that? 

Anakin crosses his arms over his chest, "Where's Ahsoka?"

"She isn't going back to Coruscant with you." Padmé replies, sticking her chin up.

"Senator," Obi-Wan couldn't have inputted at a better time, "Ahsoka has suffered a head injury. She needs to return to the Halls of Healing."

"I'll ensure she is treated at the best medical facility on Naboo, but she _will not_ return to the Jedi Temple until she wants to."

"That's not _your_ decision to make." Windu challenges.

Padmé merely raises a brow, "You'd be surprised at how much authority I hold as the _Senator_ of Naboo, Mace." 

The use of his first name is a casual reminder that she outranks him. On any other occasion, Anakin would be impressed, but this isn't some small disagreement. Padmé genuinely believes Ahsoka should stay on Naboo until she feels ready to return to the Temple. 

The silka beads on his waist are heavy.

As much as it hurts, Anakin doesn't want to put Ahsoka under more stress by forcing her to sit on the shuttle with everyone and then deal with the rest of the Council once they get back to Coruscant.

"Senator Amidala has a good point, Masters." Both Obi-Wan and Windu whirl around to stare at him, shocked. "Ahsoka is due to be out of action for several months. I believe she will recover faster here, than at the Temple."

"Then, it's settled.” Padmé’s eyes sparkle with gratitude although she still looks murderous, “With her Master's consent, Ahsoka will not board the ship back to Coruscant. Good day, Generals."

With that, she spins on her heel to leave.

_Do not let her stay alone, Chosen One._

"Padmé, wait!" Anakin calls, running after her, unable to stop the anxiety gnawing in his gut.

Something isn't right.

She turns and her expression softens when she sees it's only him following her, "What, Ani?"

"I can stay on Naboo too."

Her eyebrows shoot upwards in surprise, “Ani-”

“She doesn’t even have to know I’m here!” He pleads, “Please, Padmé, the Force is telling me to stay! I’ll never forgive myself if-”

“Anakin.” She snaps, shutting him up. Padmé glances around before taking a step towards him, “I love you, Anakin, and I truly believe you didn’t mean to hurt Ahsoka, but if you saw the way I had to hold her earlier…”

His wife trails off, and Anakin feels like his chest ache. Without thinking, he closes the distance between them and takes Padmé’s hands. “I’m going to make it up to her, I promise. I just need to stay nearby to make sure she’s safe.”

He isn’t entirely sure how he’ll make it up to Ahsoka, but he has a few ideas. She probably hates him right now, but he wouldn’t be able to call himself a good Master- or friend- if he doesn’t try to fix this mess.

“You can stay, Anakin,” Padmé says softly, “but perhaps you should forgive Obi-Wan before you expect Ahsoka to forgive you.”

* * *

With a damp flannel, Ahsoka wipes her face, ridding herself of the tears from crying so much. Her cheeks are still red, and the white markings on her face are glowing slightly from emotional overstimulation, but she at least _pretends_ to be over her breakdown.

She feels better now she’s away from the Jedi, even though she can sense Anakin hovering nearby. Padmé promised she didn’t need to speak to any of her Masters until she felt ready.

Ahsoka honestly doesn’t know when she can look at any of them in the eyes again.

They _lied_ to her.

Obi-Wan was supposed to be shot by Hardeen, and he was going to fake his death. Not just fake it to the universe, but also to Anakin and Ahsoka. How crushed would Anakin have been? When he told her about the plan in the speeder back to the palace, Anakin’s eyes took on a glazed look when he said the Council were relying on his reaction to convince everyone that Obi-Wan was dead. 

Typical Council: shunning Anakin for his emotions and then exploiting them.

She wants _out_ of the Order.

It’s something she’s never considered before. The Order is her _life_ , her _family_ , her _home_ , and she has never contemplated exchanging it for another way of life.

Where would she go? She would have to get a job, an apartment, credits; the list goes on. She knows Padmé would help her, but being near Padmé means being near Anakin.

She loves Anakin- she really does. She just thought their relationship was built on trust and mutual respect. Apparently, it wasn’t.

Surprisingly, she notices the missing weight of her silka braid on the back of her head. If she _really_ wanted to leave the Order, wouldn’t she enjoy being free from her Padawan braid?

**///**

“We will leave as soon as Queen Neeyutnee’s banquet is over.” The Chancellor says as he and Anakin walk through the dark corridors of the palace. “I also want to say goodbye to Senator Amidala. She has been a very gracious host.” 

Anakin hums in agreement, his mind lightyears away.

Occasionally, he nudges Ahsoka’s Force-signature, trying to understand the storm of emotions within her. She’s holding a lot of hostility towards the Jedi, but when it comes to him, it’s more complicated.

“Padmé didn’t mention a banquet to me.” He says, keying back into the conversation.

“Perhaps she meant it as a surprise.” The Chancellor muses out loud, “I must say, the lengths the Jedi will go to is nothing short of incredible. I assume the brilliant plan to disguise Mace Windu was yours.”

“No… it wasn’t, sir.” Anakin stutters, attempts to laugh but it comes out as nervous, “I was in the dark as much as you were.”

If he oversaw the mission, nobody would’ve got hurt, even if that meant he had to play the role of Hardeen himself. He wouldn’t have faked his death, but if he had to, he would’ve told the people close to him. He’s a decent person like that.

“Really?” The Chancellor asks, shocked. He quickly composes himself, “Interesting. I was under the impression the Jedi always worked as a team.”

So was he. Anakin even used to have the radical idea that friends didn’t hurt each other by faking their own deaths.

Just as he opens his mouth to respond, the doors open, and he’s greeted with the looming presence of the Darkside.

Dooku smiles at them from across the room, “Ah, Skywalker and Chancellor Palpatine. Welcome.”

* * *

Ahsoka takes off running as soon as she feels Anakin in pain. Her prosthetic leg hinders her, but she doesn’t dare stop. As long as Anakin’s in danger, she could be paralysed and still run to his aid.

Even if she rejected him as her Master.

She skids to a stop outside the room where she can sense Anakin inside- and she falls from trying to stop so suddenly. Climbing to her feet- certain she’ll be covered head to toe in bruises- she gets to work on opening the door.

As she works on the control panel, she senses someone approaching from the other side. A brief brush with the Force tells her it’s the Chancellor, but she still ignites her lightsaber. It’s a good thing she does as an icy breath brushes past her again.

_Behind you, young one!_

Ahsoka spins and clashes her lightsaber against the magna-guard’s staff. This is the first lightsaber combat she’s attempted since her injury and trying to hold her lightsaber with only one working hand is already difficult. 

The door behind her opens and she hears Palpatine gasp, “Padawan Tano?”

Distracted, the magna-guard easily kicks her stomach and sends Ahsoka tumbling to the ground. The fall hurts her back, but when she sees the droid grab Palpatine, she ignores her pain.

What’s one more injury?

She uses a chair to haul herself upright and sees the guard pulling the Chancellor towards Dooku who is dualling Anakin at the back of the room. Dooku sends chairs flying at Anakin and he bats them away with his lightsaber like flies.

“Anakin!” She shouts, running towards the chaos with her lightsaber in her right hand. She’s ambidextrous- as most Jedi are- but she has always been stronger in her left. She doubts Dooku will go easy on her because of that.

“Ahsoka!” Anakin yells whilst Dooku uses the Force to lodge two forks into his cybernetic arm. Ahsoka winces as he pulls the metal objects out of his arm without a single flinch, “Get back! You can’t help!”

Fire ignites in her soul at his words.

“No!” She declares before swinging for Dooku. She hasn’t trained under Anakin for so long and lost a leg just to accept defeat and let him do all the fighting.

Besides, this is Count-kriffing-Dooku, not some bounty hunter who Anakin can easily defeat on his own.

Before her lightsaber even touches the Count’s, Ahsoka is stabbed by the magna-guard behind her. The bolt leaves her weak, falling her knees whilst her entire spine tingles. She just manages to raise her lightsaber in time to stop Dooku from decapitating her.

“I see the weakened Padawan has still got some flare in her.” Dooku taunts, then his blazing eyes flicker to her headdress, “Or should I say _ex-_ Padawan.”

“Get away from her!” Anakin screams, his voice full of protectiveness as he swings at Dooku, scoring a line across his shoulder. 

Dooku chuckles, pushes Ahsoka aside as he engages Anakin, “She’s weak, Skywalker, just like you.”

Ahsoka pulls herself upright again, feels completely exhausted from just under a minute of fighting. Everything hurts: her head, legs, arms, back. It hurts the most in her heart. Since when did she need Anakin to protect her?

She raises her lightsaber to charge into the fight when Anakin sticks out a hand and her body moves like a rag doll when he accesses the Force. She’s loosely aware of herself sliding down the length of the table with cutlery clattering around her. 

When she falls off, her head hits the ground first, and she’s immediately lost to unconsciousness. She really ought to be more careful with her head before she permanently damages her brain.

She tries to stir, but it’s no use. Her body is too weak to handle any more stress, and so is her mind.

* * *

With Ahsoka out of the way, Anakin pushes forwards through the palace corridors, swinging at Dooku with speed and precision.

Dooku is knocked to the ground, and Anakin promptly brings their blades into a deadly lock. The Count manages to hold him off which prompts Anakin to grab his throat, squeezing hard.

This is for Ahsoka.

He feels Dooku’s fingertips brush his tunic, and then his back arches when Force-lightning begins to course through him. He always forgets how much it hurts. Dooku soon gets bored and uses the Force to push Anakin against a pillar some distance away.

_Ouch._

He isn’t sure how long he’s knocked out for, but he comes to as soon as Obi-Wan places a hand on his shoulder. He’s hauled upright although his body aches, “Are you alright?”

He ignores his former Master and starts after Dooku once again, “Come on! We can’t let him take the Chancellor!” He frowns as they start to sprint, “I thought you and Windu already left Naboo?”

“Mace left; I stayed.” Obi-Wan gives him a sideways glance, “I had a bad feeling. Padmé let me stay.”

Even with the pressure of their circumstances, Anakin rolls his eyes. Of course, Padmé had something to do with this.

He remembers what Padmé told him earlier and murmurs, “I forgive you.”

“What?”

“I forgive you!” He shouts, cheeks blazing.

“Oh… alright.”

They run out onto the platform together- almost like it’s old times- and see Dooku herding the Chancellor onto his ship. It isn’t hard to jump onto the rising ship ramp, and Anakin is quick to bring a lightsaber to the back of Dooku’s head- only to have it blocked.

Obi-Wan jumps up beside him, kicking the magna-guard from the ship and then jumping to the platform with the Chancellor. Anakin swings his lightsaber at the Count, trying to distract him whilst they get Palpatine off this ship.

As soon as he sees the Chancellor safely at Obi-Wan’s side, Anakin allows Dooku to toss him off the ship, landing with an easy backflip onto the platform. They glare at the Count- all irritated they haven’t been able to capture him again.

_The Padawan, Chosen One!_

Panic erupts in Anakin when he hears glass shatter above their heads and a small Togruta flies from the building, straight onto Dooku’s ship.

“Ahsoka, no!” Anakin screams, his voice going hoarse when he sees Dooku grin, igniting his lightsaber.

_No, no, no…_

Ahsoka isn’t prepared. 

She’s standing with her back to Anakin which gives him a perfect view of Dooku’s red lightsaber stabbing straight through her stomach. Somehow, he hears her let out a quiet, choked gasp, and it feels like his own chest is split in two.

He’s completely frozen, even when Ahsoka falls backwards, sliding off Dooku’s lightsaber and falling- not onto the platform, but to the ground.

She lets out a scream, and Anakin can’t move.

Obi-Wan shouts his name, dashes past him and dives off the platform, starting to free-fall. Anakin collapses to his knees, feeling her Force-signature flickering. He’s losing her, and he can’t even go to her.

“S-Snips…” he breathes, touching his own chest where the lightsaber must’ve hit hers. His heart thuds a million beats a minute, and hers is barely beating.

She’s leaving him.

His Padawan is dying, and she’s not even his Padawan anymore. She gave up the braid. It’s on his belt.

She’s dying without him- without the Order. She’s going to die as an orphan.

Somehow, that thought gives him the strength to run to the edge of the platform and jump. He won’t let her die without him by her side.

* * *

Obi-Wan feels the wind whip at his face as he dives closer and closer to the limp Padawan. It’s a long fall to the courtyard, but it feels like everything is going in slow motion. He can see her face. Her eyes are wide with fear, mouth open in a silent scream. She’s looking directly at him.

There’s a smouldering hole just below her breastbone, the smell of burnt flesh in the air. Obi-Wan remembers Qui-Gon being killed with a lightsaber through the stomach which forces him to become even more streamline, begging the Force to allow him to get to her before she hits the ground.

Her life force is fading fast. The lightsaber wound didn’t kill her but hitting the ground certainly will. He didn’t get the chance to catch Ahsoka when Hardeen shot her. Now, he has a chance.

Tears blur his eyes; Ahsoka is just out of his grip. 

“Please!” He pleads in a whisper, speaking to the Force itself, “I’ll fix everything, I promise. I’ll never hurt her again! I’ll do anything, just let her live.”

Painful seconds stroll by, and the rest of the universe is completely invisible to Obi-Wan as he reaches for her. Tears are streaming up his face as the wind pushes them back. 

Then, she’s in his arms….

For the briefest of moments…

And then they hit the centre of the courtyard.


	16. Chapter 16

Shock tears through his knees, resulting in several cracks and pulses of pain as he brings the limp girl into his lap. Ahsoka’s eyes are closed, tear tracks on her cheeks which match his.

Trembling, Obi-Wan reaches for her neck and begs. 

“Master…” her voice is as weak as her pulse.

He presses a hand against the lightsaber wound and smiles down at her although it probably comes out like a grimace. The wound is hot, and her skin is cold. “It’s alright, Ahsoka.”

“No, Master…” she shuts her eyes again, her head lolling into the crook of his elbow. “I don’t… have long…”

“No, Padawan, keep your eyes open!” He says sternly before lifting his head to address the civilians of Naboo who have started gathering around them. “Call the Senator! Get a medic!”

“Master!” He hears Anakin jump down behind him- he hasn’t called him that in days. His former student is soon looming over his shoulder, “Ahsoka…”

“Anakin…” Ahsoka rasps, her body weakly squirming. “Please…. I’m sorry…”

“Snips.” Anakin drops to his knees on the other side of her and although he’s trying to sound confident, they both know her life is slipping through their fingers. There’s no point holding on too tight. “Don’t apologise.”

“I…” Ahsoka reaches out, her fingers brushing the silka braid hanging on Anakin’s belt. She’s rasping now. “I never meant to…”

“Relax,” Anakin encourages, taking the braid and attaching it back onto her headdress- where it belongs. “It’s okay.”

His voice cracks.

“I never… imagined…” Ahsoka tries to laugh- somehow- and it erupts into a cough. “Dying like this… Isn’t how I pictured dying…”

Anakin leans forwards to tell her she isn’t dying, so Obi-Wan puts a restraining hand on his shoulder. He gives him a look, silently asking if they want to lie to her again.

They don’t.

“Ahsoka,” Obi-Wan looks down at the girl who’s struggling for every breath. He can’t save her. “You know there is no death-”

“Only the Force…” she finishes, looking up at the night’s sky, “Dying isn’t as… scary as… I…”

Anakin runs his flesh fingers down the side of her face, drawing her attention back to him. “You’re fearless, Snips, you always have been.”

She huffs a laugh; her whole body seizes and Obi-Wan uses the Force to get her to relax. He uses the power internally, forcing her cells to stop fighting this inevitable death. It’s mercy-killing.

“We’re sorry, Ahsoka,” he says gently, “for everything.”

“For everything.” Anakin confirms, half-holding her on his own lap.

Obi-Wan spies the Nabooian medics dropping down in a speeder, rushing towards them. He wants to keep Ahsoka’s send-off as peaceful as possible. There’s no saving her, even with the Force.

“I… forgive you…” she starts to wheeze, “I… you guys are… the best…”

With a sob, her head falls back, and her eyes close. The medics swarm them, starting to push needles into the back of her hand and tinkering with machines that are hooked to her head and chest. 

It’s too late.

* * *

_Your time is not up, young one._

Her soul fights against her body, begging for release. It wants to feel no more pain, it wants to be free, but something's stopping her.

It isn't her body stopping her soul from leaving. Her heart has stopped, courtesy of a lightsaber wound to her chest. Her brain hasn't had fresh oxygen pumped to it in over a minute, no matter what the Nabooian medics are doing to force oxygen into her lungs.

Her body's dead. She doesn't know why they're trying to save it. They shouldn't bother. It's nothing but a waste of resources. They should gift her body to a science laboratory and be done with it; don't even bother with a Jedi funeral. The cost of shipping her bones and skin to Coruscant just isn't worth the hassle.

Bodies are kind of useless when she thinks about it. Really, they're just soul carriers. Without her limbs and torso and head and spine, Ahsoka is still Ahsoka. She still feels her admiration for Anakin, her respect for Obi-Wan and love for her clone brothers. A body can't do that.

Now she looks back at it, there was no reason to be upset about losing her leg. She could lose every limb and still feel like herself.

It's ironic that she needed to _die_ to realise this.

* * *

Anakin never thought he'd lose Ahsoka. Yes, she’s had _too_ many close calls for a girl of her age, but he never _actually_ thought she might die one day. That day is today.

When the Blue Shadow Virus ravaged his men, Ahsoka survived. When she was kidnapped by Trandoshan hunters, Ahsoka survived. When she was shot by a bounty hunter and fell off a rooftop, she survived.

Why now?

Masters always die before their Padawans, and if their Padawans die first, it's the sign of a bad teacher. He's failed her.

“I’ve failed her,” he mutters, tears blurring his vision as he sits on his hands and knees.

* * *

Padmé's never been a good sprinter, but she runs like the universe is ending.

It is.

She heard the call come through from a nearby Nabooian Guard: _Count Dooku has just killed Commander Tano._

She picks up her speed, heels wobbling in the cracks of the cobblestones as she passes through the corridors, pushing unknowing citizens out of the way without apology. She wishes she misheard the bulletin, but the impending sense of doom in her chest tells her that Ahsoka Tano is dead.

The Jedi Padawan who is months away from taking her Knight Trials. The Commander who soon will become a General. The Chosen One’s student who will teach her own Padawan someday. The girl who has her entire life ahead of her…

_Gone._

Padmé feels the smack of cobblestone against her knees before she registers herself falling. She pants, feeling herself losing control of her emotions as she staggers to her feet and starts to run again. Her palms sting, and her knees are definitely cut and bleeding, but none of that matters.

Ahsoka Tano has just been killed.

Her heart has stopped.

She's dead.

* * *

_You are not dead, young one._

Ahsoka fights the voice in her head. The Force wills what it wills. From the day she was born, this was her fate. She was supposed to die in the arms of Anakin and Obi-Wan. Really, she couldn't fault the way she died.

She always wanted a lightsaber to kill her, and Dooku delivering the killing blow is just the icing on the cake, as cliché as it sounds.

_I will not let you die, young one._

_Bog off_ , she wants to say, but without a body, she can't speak. It's quite nice, just floating with her thoughts. She wonders if eternity will be like this, or will her thoughts die too? Ahsoka doesn't like the sound of that.

_I saved your life once, young one, and I will do it again. Now, **live**._

Something washes over her like water, but it feels light and warm.

Every cell in her body crackles with life, making her cringe as her heart starts thudding erratically in her chest. She goes dizzy as oxygen reaches her brain, and she can finally hear the thunderous chaos surrounding her.

 _No_ , she cries in her head, desperately clinging onto the peace she’s found, _don’t make me._

**_Live_ ** _, child._

There are fingers pressing against her neck, and she hears someone gasp beside her.

* * *

"Pulse!" He hears behind him- background noise.

Anakin looks up at his deceased student. Her eyes are closed, her chest is still. She's dead. Truly, truly dead. She has no pulse, Anakin checked himself.

"Are you sure?" Someone demands, authority strong in their tone.

"Strong and healthy. Feel!”

It's disgusting. These medics are treating Ahsoka's body like a piece of meat. Obi-Wan should've never pried his white-knuckle grip off Ahsoka's limp form and pulled him away.

Anakin stands, swaying slightly. He moves towards Ahsoka's body like a predator stalking its prey, except the prey is already dead and he didn't kill her. Not directly, anyway.

"Out of my way!" He growls, flicking his wrist to push a medic away with the Force. He kneels next to Ahsoka, removes the glove from his flesh hand and presses two fingers to the side of her neck, just to confirm she’s dead.

* * *

This can’t be happening. She was dead, but now she’s alive. That’s impossible.

_Nothing is impossible through me, young one._

* * *

Her heart beats strongly under Anakin’s fingertips.

His own skips a beat.

Not fully convinced, he lowers his cheek to her lips, feels warm breath tickling his skin. Impossible. He taps their bond, feels it’s still limp, but Ahsoka’s life force- which was all but gone a few minutes ago- has somehow returned.

He doesn’t know what’s happening, but he knows his student isn’t dead.

"Obi-Wan," he lifts his head to look at his former Master, his entire body trembling, "She's alive."

* * *

Padmé's throat stings like she's starved of oxygen when she finally makes it to the courtyard. Smoke from the fireworks is still lingering in the air, along with the familiar stench of burnt flesh.

Nabooian civilians are keeping their distance, their haunted eyes locked on the bustling huddle in the centre of the courtyard. Some women have their hands covering their mouths, whilst men stare with clenched jaws. Nannies hide the children from the sight, wrapping them in their thick coats or turning them away.

In the centre, Padmé sees a pair of marron boots sticking out from the cluster of Nabooian medics. The moonlight makes the prosthetic leg glimmer.

She doesn't realise she's gripping her skirt so tightly the delicate netting is tearing. She hasn’t had a panic attack this bad since she was Queen.

"Anakin!" She shouts, moving forwards. She's not worried about the civilians making subtle links between her and the Jedi Knight; their attention is diverted right now.

"Padmé!" Anakin breaks through the group, coming towards her with open arms.

She tries to read his expression, but she can only see his eyes in the dim light. She expected Anakin to either run and hide or start smashing things when his student died, but she didn't anticipate him sweeping her into his arms.

"Ani," she reaches her foot down, catching her shoe on the ground to stop her husband from turning with her in his arms. She puts a hand against his cheek, savouring its warmth, "I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say."

"Padmé, it's a miracle." He says, making her frown when he takes her hand from his cheek and places it against his chest. "She's alive."

The shock she feels is similar to the rush of adrenaline after dropping a wine glass and watching it shatter on the floor.

"What?" She half-turns, trying to peer over the Nabooian medics. "What are you talking about? I just heard the emergency bulletin."

"The Force, my love," Anakin's voice goes to a whisper, "it saved her, just like it did on Mortis."

Ah, Mortis. _That_ place.

From Padmé's understanding, Ahsoka died on Mortis when this son-Force-thing killed her. Anakin managed to revive her with someone called the Daughter, who gave up her own life force to save Ahsoka.

Padmé looks over at the cluster of medics hovering over Ahsoka, "I don't understand."

"I don't either." Anakin admits, exhaling softly. She can feel him trembling. "All that matters is the Force decided to save her. I can feel her again. She's going to live."

That's all Padmé needs to know.

* * *

_"Rex, you should probably sit down for this. Don't... don't panic when you see the news. Ahsoka's fine; she's alive. I... don't know how, but the Force wanted her to live. I'll bring her back to the Temple when she's ready. Until then, I'm going off the radar. Skywalker out."_

Cody sighs, glances at the chrono on the wall of his office. It's only 0900, and he's heard this voice recording so many times he can recite it.

Rex is pacing. As long as Cody's known the Captain- most of his life- he's always paced when perplexed. He'll wear a hole in the floor if he isn't careful.

Cody watches as his best friend walk over to the desk he's leaning against, reaches over and presses a button.

_"Rex, you should probably sit down for this. Don't... don't panic when you see the news. Ahsoka's fine; she's alive. I... don't know how, but the Force wanted her to live. I'll bring her back to the Temple when she's ready. Until then, I'm going off the radar. Skywalker out."_

After the recording stops, Rex starts pacing again. This is getting ridiculous. Cody has jobs to do, and with Commander Tano out of action, Rex needs to be getting his troops ready for the next campaign, whenever that is. By the sound of things, Skywalker is taking some extended leave.

Rex steps up to the desk again, but Cody's faster. He grabs the man's reaching hand, and within seconds, has him in a headlock. He keeps his voice low as Rex grunts in his grip, "If I have to listen to that recording _one more time_ -"

He hits the floor as Rex overpowers his hold, throwing him over his back. Cody grunts, feels a knee press against his back and then hears the beep of the commlink.

_"Rex, you should probably sit down for this. Don't... don't panic when you see the news. Ahsoka's fine; she's alive. I... don't know how, but the Force wanted her to live. I'll bring her back to the Temple when she's ready. Until then, I'm going off the radar. Skywalker out."_

"Kriffing hell, Rex," Cody spits out, shifting underneath his brother's weight, "Ahsoka's alive; why can't you get that through your thick skull?"

"Did you _see_ the _HoloNet_?" Rex asks, pushing him into the floor one last time before getting off the Commander.

Cody sits up, rubbing his jaw, "The media tends to exaggerate things. If Skywalker says she's fine, then she's fine."

Rex scoffs, leaning his back against the desk, "You can't exaggerate a lightsaber wound to the chest. It hit her _here_ ," he points to a spot just below his breastbone, "That's where we're trained to hit droids if we can't hit their heads, Cody."

"Ahsoka's a hell of a lot tougher than a clanker, vod." Cody shrugs, "Remember Saluecami? You didn't like it when Ahsoka fussed over you then, so don't fuss over her now."

"It's different." The Captain hisses, "A commando got the better of me there, not a Sith Lord."

"They're all fruits of the same tree." Cody says, reciting an idiom Obi-Wan once taught him.

Rex shakes his head, "I need to call the General."

"No." Cody orders, authority raining in his voice. "Skywalker said he was going off the radar; he won't appreciate you calling."

His brother chews his lip, "Do you think he blames me?"

Cody frowns, "For what?"

"For not realising this was all the Council's doing." Rex leans his head back, closing his eyes. "I should've noticed something was off when Kenobi asked me to keep an eye on Skywalker. I thought he was just concerned about the General coping with Ahsoka's injuries."

"The Council were smart." Cody replies, leaning back on his hands. "They knew what they were doing, and they didn't want anyone to find out. Skywalker doesn't blame you for not picking up on what was going on."

His vod says nothing.

"Rex," Cody could laugh, "you and Skywalker have been working together since the war began. Has he _ever_ blamed you when things have gone wrong?"

Again, no response.

"He didn't blame you for Teth, or the Blue Shadow Virus, or Umbara?" Rex flinches at the mention of that planet. "Skywalker knows you'll follow him to the ends of the galaxy. He can't be mad at you for not knowing something that was _purposefully_ hidden from all of us."

 _All of us_. Cody was lied to too.

There's a long pause, and Rex proposes a question, "Have you thought about what would've happened if Hardeen hit his target and Kenobi faked his death?"

Now, it's Cody's turn to close up. "I try not to."

He has thought about it, often late at night in his bunk. He despises the dark voice in the back of his head that whispers, _Obi-Wan was keeping his mission a secret from you, his dear Commander._

"General Kenobi had his reasons for agreeing to this mission." Cody says, "I might not have agreed with them, but we all have to do our duty to the Republic."

"To the _Chancellor_." Rex corrects, sneering.

"That's a dangerous attitude to hold, brother." Cody says, a slight warning in his tone.

Since Umbara, Rex has held more hostility towards his superiors. Cody's starting to worry his closest vod is being radicalised by the more free-thinking clones who question every order and wouldn't lay down their lives for the Republic, even though that's exactly what they were bred to do.

There's a knock at the door, and both officers stand before it swishes open, revealing Boil. "Commander, Captain, sorry to interrupt."

"It's no problem, Sergeant." Cody replies, giving Rex a look.

"We've been given our orders, sir." Boil passes him a datapad.

Cody scans it, "Without the General?"

"Kenobi's escorting the Chancellor back from Naboo; we've just heard from General Windu."

The Commander frowns. Skywalker said Ahsoka’s fine, but her condition is probably serious. Why's Kenobi returning so soon?

Rex steps forwards, "What about Skywalker and Commander Tano? Any news on when they'll be returning?"

"Negative, Captain." Boil shakes his head. "Windu said Commander Tano is in a stable condition, and she'll be recovering on Naboo. I guess Skywalker is staying for as long as she is."

Rex looks over at Cody, "The 501st will be grounded for a bit longer, then."

"Not if I can help it." Cody waves the datapad, "This sounds like a two-Battalion job. I'm sure General Kenobi won't mind if the boys-in-blue come along."

Rex smiles- for the first time in weeks, "I'll get my men ready, Commander."

* * *

Inhale. Exhale.

Anakin pushes away his negative thoughts, surrendering them to the Force.

He used to not trust anyone with his mental pain- not even his former Master- but now his relationship to the Force is stronger than it's ever been before. He feels safe sharing his thoughts and feelings.

_You trust me now, Chosen One. You have been tempted by my Brother since you were young, but now, you have overcome the temptation._

The Daughter. He can almost hear her angelic voice.

She saved Ahsoka's life on Mortis, giving up her own mortality, and now she's saved his Padawan again. She _has_ to be the one behind Ahsoka's resurrection which left the Nabooian Doctors scratching their heads. Only the Force can bring someone back to life.

She was dead. Ahsoka's skin was going cold, and there was no stirring her. He felt her life force flicker off across their bond.

Inhale. Exhale.

 _Ahsoka's not dead_ , he reminds himself, pressing on their stable bond as if to prove it to himself that he didn't lose her. Even in her comatose state, Ahsoka reacts to the pressure on their bond with a dull pulse. It's not a lot, but it's there.

Suddenly, he senses someone standing in front of him, and his eyes snap open from years of training his reflexes.

Padmé stands a few feet away from where he's sat, a meek expression on her face, "Sorry for startling you, Ani."

"Don't be." He gracefully rises to his feet, walks over to Padmé and takes her shoulders. He presses a kiss to her forehead before noticing her rigid posture, "What is it, my love?"

She sighs, resting her cheek against his chest as he envelopes her in his arms, "Obi-Wan and Mace are returning to Coruscant this afternoon."

Anakin closes his eyes, breathing in the scent of her hair. He knew this was coming.

With the threat against the Chancellor's life dismantled, the Jedi have no reason to stay on Naboo. He's made it perfectly clear to his former Master that he'll be remaining here with Ahsoka, and they shan’t go back to the Temple until she's recovered.

Padmé leans backwards and cups his cheek, pulling his eyes down to hers, "Will you speak to Obi-Wan before he leaves?"

Anakin frowns, "Why?"

"Because" she looks at his chest, "he's your best friend, and you may have forgiven him, but you haven't acted like you're ready to fix things between you two."

"Love,” he manages to keep his frustration out of his voice, “my Padawan's in a coma after being killed and then resurrecting. Pardon me if I've been a little preoccupied."

Padmé smiles, "Ani, you haven't been at Ahsoka's side like everyone expected you to be. What’s going on?”

He looks away, “I feel different.”

“Different how?” She enquires, brushing her thumb over his cheekbone.

He sighs, taking her hand from his face and giving it a quick squeeze, "It's hard to explain." Padmé only raises an eyebrow. "I don't feel as worried as I was when Ahsoka first got injured. I feel calm, and I don’t know why.”

“Maybe the Force decided that whilst it healed Ahsoka, it would do some healing on you too."

He clenches his free fist, puts Hardeen in the front of his mind and struggles to find the anger he once harboured towards that man.

Nothing.

If anything, all he feels is some slight guilt for killing the bastard.

What's wrong with him? Anakin Skywalker doesn't _feel_ guilt for killing bad people, especially when they’ve hurt people close to him.

"Anakin." Padmé draws him back to the present. "Please, speak to Obi-Wan. I think you need someone to talk through this Force stuff with.”

"Okay." He breathes, leaning down to kiss his wife's cheek before creating space in between them.

* * *

Obi-Wan rests a hand on Ahsoka’s forehead, sending gentle waves of physical and mental healing across their bond. In her comatose state, Ahsoka accepts the help lazily.

His gaze drifts down to her heavily bandaged chest. The fact that she’s alive is a miracle, but good Force, this girl has been through the wars.

It’s all his fault.

Obi-Wan takes a shuddery breath, knowing that blaming himself does nothing but aggravate the situation. It makes Anakin feel uncomfortable and no doubt Ahsoka will be the same when she wakes up.

"The Doctors plan to bring her out of it in a week."

He jumps at the sound of Anakin’s voice behind him and turns, trying to seem collected, "How long will it take her to recover?"

Anakin shakes his head, already knowing where this conversation is headed. "She'll be rehabilitated here, on Naboo, and I'll get her back into fighting state when she decides that's what she wants."

Obi-Wan knows his mind is made up, but he still proposes, "Master Che could-"

"Master Che terrifies Ahsoka, and she banned the clones from visiting her." Anakin interrupts, crossing his arms over his chest. "Unless Ahsoka begs me, she won't be returning to the Halls of Healing when she wakes up."

Anakin’s irritated, but his tone doesn’t change. Somehow, Anakin has calmed more in the past 12 hours than he has in ten years.

He can’t help but fear what Anakin is suggesting. He knows it’s unlikely, but last night’s events may just push both him and Ahsoka away from the Order for good.

Reading his thoughts, Anakin speaks, “You always promised you’d never force me to stay, Master. I won’t force Ahsoka to stay either.”

Obi-Wan drops his head, "I can't remain in the Order if you and Ahsoka never come back."

They lapse into silence, both men contemplating life without the Order. Anakin and Ahsoka would be fine; they’re sociable and skilled in a variety of trades. Ahsoka could make a comfortable living from fixing speeders, and Anakin could finally pursue his childhood dreams of professional pod-racing.

Obi-Wan, on the other hand, would be helpless in the real galaxy.

Still, he’d rather be with Ahsoka and Anakin in the big, wide galaxy than remain in the comfort of the Temple without them.

"I'll call you once a week." Anakin says, breaking the silence, "When I think she's ready, I'll suggest returning to Coruscant."

His shoulders sag in relief. This isn’t goodbye.

The air is knocked out of Anakin’s lungs as Obi-Wan ploughs into him, making the younger Jedi gasp as he's pulled into a bone-breaking hug.

"Uh, Obi-Wan," he rasps, "I'm not making any promises."

"I know." Obi-Wan replies, his voice slightly muffled against Anakin's sleeve. Hesitantly, Anakin returns the embrace, patting his back gingerly. "I truly am sorry, Anakin. Really, I wish I never agreed to this mission."

Anakin softens his tone, "I believe you, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan releases his brother and grasps his shoulders, "Take care of her, Anakin, and yourself.”

"You don't need to worry about us." Anakin reassures. "Go easy on yourself too, old man."

“I will.” Obi-Wan promises.

He’s hurt Anakin and Ahsoka beyond words over the past week, but he’s also hurt himself. All of them could use some healing.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **T/W: Stress-induced vomiting**

Mornings on Naboo are lazy.

The civilians may seem polished and self-disciplined, but they’re actually very laid back. Mornings usually involve a generous amount of lounging, buffet-style breakfasts, and lots of hot or cold drinks- depending on the season. 

Padmé- since her teenage years- has always started her mornings with milky caf. It’s sweet, warm, and gives her just enough energy to get through the early morning Senate meetings. She keeps up the tradition whilst she’s on her home planet as well- not just on Coruscant.

Once her brew is ready, she takes it outside where the sun is still low in the sky. The gardens of Naboo have always been a place of comfort for her, especially when she was Queen. 

Today, the gardens aren’t quite as calm as normal.

“Sharper! Make your movements sharper!” Anakin instructs sternly, not holding back as he hits Ahsoka with a flurry of aggressive swings, “Good! Keep it up!”

Ahsoka bares her fangs, flipping backwards and staying low with her lightsaber raised. With her left arm still suffering from paralysis and in a brace, her lightsaber has been adjusted- courtesy of Anakin’s handiwork- into a double-ended blade. 

Padmé can hardly see the Togruta when she starts to whirl the green duo blade even faster.

She manages to knock Anakin off his feet, mocking him, “Make your movements sharper, Anakin!”

“Very funny.” He mutters before jumping up and pushing his lightsaber against hers once more.

Padmé chuckles at the competitive Jedi and sits on the outside lounge, hidden in the shade. Anakin and Ahsoka don’t even glance her way as the Padawan springs towards her Master. The Jedi start to spin again, and Padmé has to averts her eyes before watching them makes her dizzy.

It’s been a month since Ahsoka, well, died and then resurrected.

The doctors said it was a miracle, but only the Force is capable of such feats.

Ahsoka spent the next week in a medically induced coma. Shockingly, Anakin spent most of the week in deep meditation instead of at his Padawan’s bedside. When Ahsoka woke up, Anakin made sure he was there, and since then, they’ve barely stopped.

The two Jedi train every day- from dusk to dawn- only breaking for food or meditation. Ahsoka’s body is getting stronger every day, and so is her relationship with Anakin. They’ve been inseparable over the past few weeks, and Ahsoka has even started calling him ‘Master’ again, which makes Anakin grin like crazy.

The rift between them is starting to heal, and it couldn’t be more beautiful to watch. Sure, there are times when Ahsoka gets frustrated from the process, but Anakin has mastered the art of patience- _somehow_ \- and the duo have overcome every hurdle in their path.

Padmé looks up at Ahsoka’s yelp, sees Anakin wave his hand to catch her before she can hit the floor. “Watch your footing, Snips,” he says with a smirk.

“Why don’t your wire my leg to be more flexible next time?” Ahsoka bites back, even though she’s grinning. She raises her lightsaber, “Again!”

Padmé frowns, speaking up before they can resume their spar, “I think it’s time for a break, Anakin.” She pins him with a look saying, _before you hurt her on accident_ _._

She sees the protest forming on Ahsoka’s face until Anakin claps her shoulder, “Her house, her rules, Snips. C’mon, let’s do some theory work.”

At the mention of doing something related to fighting, Ahsoka perks up and struts- confidently- to where Padmé’s sitting. The Senator moves over, allows Ahsoka to sit beside her whilst Anakin makes himself comfortable on the seat opposite them.

“I think you’re training too roughly.” Padmé says, directing her point at Anakin more than Ahsoka. “The doctors said she needs to _avoid_ any more head injuries, not try to get as many as she can.”

Anakin chuckles, doesn’t hear the seriousness in her tone, “I caught her well before she fell, Padmé.”

She narrows her gaze at her husband, “You won’t always be there to catch her, Anakin.”

“I think we need to be training more if anything.” Ahsoka says, stretching out her legs, “I’ll never learn how to win if Anakin’s always letting me win. We already know Dooku won’t go easy on me.”

Padmé presses her lips together, her eyes drop to Ahsoka’s midriff where a large scar is hidden under her top. Although Ahsoka never admits when it’s hurting her, Padmé can see her grimacing when she stretches too far. 

Anakin’s commlink starts beeping, and one glance at her husband’s face confirms who’s calling. 

He automatically moves to switch the device off when Ahsoka raises her hand, “Maybe we should see what they want.”

“It’s always the same thing.” Anakin says with a sigh, “They wants us to come back to Coruscant.”

Besides weekly calls to Obi-Wan, Anakin has severed all contact to the Jedi Council whilst he focuses on Ahsoka’s rehabilitation. What Anakin hasn’t considered is that although the Council wronged Ahsoka, all of her friends and family are involved in that Order.

Togrutas have never been good with social isolation.

“What if they have a mission for us?” Ahsoka asks hopefully.

He scoffs, “You’re getting good at sparring, Snips, but you’re not battlefield ready yet.”

Padmé agrees. Ahsoka is recuperating fast but fighting on a battlefield is different from sparring in a quiet Nabooian garden.

“I said a mission, not a battle.” Ahsoka grins, “I would be up for a supply run or something if the Council so desperately want us back.”

What Ahsoka is _really_ saying is that she wants to go back to Coruscant. Naboo is nice, but Coruscant is the girl’s home, and if she feels ready to return to the Order- her family since she was a toddler- then Padmé won’t stop her.

“You really want to go back and face them?” She asks the girl.

“I do.” Ahsoka looks at Anakin, “We have to forgive them in order to heal, Master.”

The Force resurrected Ahsoka, but Padmé believes forgiveness is the thing letting Ahsoka finally heal. 

It propels victims of injustice and trauma forwards instead of backwards. Ahsoka has been moving forwards, but Anakin is lingering- Padmé knows he’s never forgiven the Tusken Raiders who killed his mother.

If the Padawan can forgive, then hopefully the Master can too.

“If you’re sure…” Anakin stands and raises his comm as he starts to walk away, “…Skywalker here.”

Padmé squeezes Ahsoka’s hand, sees the doubt on her face, “I’m proud of you, Ahsoka. It takes a lot of courage to face those who have wronged you. Remember, there will always be a home for you here.”

A lot of people think forgiveness means reconciliation- it doesn’t. Just because Ahsoka is ready to forgive the Council, doesn’t mean she’s accepting the harm they caused her.

Ahsoka throws her arms around the Senator’s neck, “Thank you, Padmé- for everything. Especially for what you’ve done for Anakin.”

It feels odd for a Jedi to be aware of the Senator’s marriage to Anakin, but considering it’s Ahsoka, Padmé isn’t worried. Keeping their relationship from her was only adding to Anakin’s stress, and surprisingly, the Padawan reacted to the news with a smirk which silently said, _I knew it_.

“Keep my husband safe out there, Ahsoka.” Padmé whispers, returning the embrace of the girl who is basically her daughter.

* * *

Anakin tries to retch quietly as he hunches over the toilet bowl in the ship’s fresher. If Ahsoka finds him in here- puking his guts up- she’ll fuss over him for the rest of the journey back to Coruscant. 

Their relationship is mending, but it hasn’t completely healed yet. Anakin can see it on Ahsoka’s face sometimes; he can see the betrayal in her eyes. It hurts him right to his core- knowing he’s hurt her.

“Anakin.” He didn’t even hear the door open.

“Ahsoka.” He stands- unsteadily- and flushes the toilet. “It was broken.”

He hears her snort, “Nice try, Master. I thought we agreed on no more lying?”

They did- that was one of the first things they agreed when Ahsoka woke up. The worst part was telling her about Obi-Wan’s health scare, but after he did tell her, Anakin swore he felt lighter. 

Telling Ahsoka about his secret marriage to the Senator of Naboo was so relieving that Anakin slept through the entire night. Ahsoka reacted to the news well and considering she’s on bad terms with the Council already, Anakin didn’t even need to ask her to keep it quiet.

“You’re right.” Anakin sighs, “It’s the first time I’m going to speak to the Council in over a month, Snips, I’m just nervous.”

“That’s understandable.” Ahsoka replies, “Do you remember when Rex gave a report to them for the first time?”

Anakin chuckles, “Poor man was sweating buckets.”

He wipes his mouth on the back of his sleeve and turns around. Ahsoka is leaning against the door- favouring her right side- with her arms crossed over her chest. She’s smiling softly, even though there’s concern in her eyes.

She looks so much older than a teenager.

“We’ll be okay.” Ahsoka says after a few moments of them just staring at each other.

“I’m supposed to be the one reassuring you.” Anakin says, resists the urge to add, _my young Padawan_. He puts a hand on her shoulder and walks her out of the fresher.

“We’re supposed to be looking out for _each other_.” Ahsoka reminds him as they enter the cockpit, “Did the Council say where we’re being deployed?”

“Obi-Wan said something about rebels on Onderon.” Anakin says, immediately senses a barrage of questions about to spill from Ahsoka’s mouth. “I know as much as you do, young one. Now, I believe you have some physiotherapy to do.”

She pouts but still sits in the co-pilot seat and starts to clench her left fist. Her hand is becoming more mobile but considering how well she’s adjusted to the double-ended lightsaber, they’ve basically ruled out the idea of a nerve transplant. 

They’ll have to see Master Che once they arrive on Coruscant, and she’ll probably have other ideas.

Anakin busies himself with fixing a loose wire under the control panel. For all the Nabooian aerospace industry is wealthy, their ships have nothing on the _Twilight_.

The next time he looks at his student, she’s fast asleep.

Maybe he’s been training her a bit too hard. Frowning, he draws a blanket over Ahsoka, hopes her sleep isn’t plagued with nightmares like it usually is. Upon second thought, he puts his palm to her forehead, flooding her mind with a sleep suggestion.

* * *

Obi-Wan’s waiting for them when they land at the Temple, looking aged but otherwise relieved as they step out of the shuttle. Anakin looks down at Ahsoka as she locks eyes- _tiredly_ \- with his former Master.

Obi-Wan gives her a warm- although worn- smile, “You’re looking better, Ahsoka.”

Ahsoka doesn’t seem to try and stop herself. She flies forwards and careens straight into Obi-Wan’s chest, making the older man stumble backwards with a gasp.

Anakin smiles at his shocked expression and shrugs, mouths, “She’s missed you.”

Obi-Wan rolls his eyes before returning Ahsoka’s embrace with gentle arms around her shoulders. Anakin can tell he’s trying to be extra careful as he rests his chin between the girl’s montrals.

Anakin has never seen his Master more at ease.

They eventually break their hug as Anakin steps in line with Ahsoka. She turns towards him, giving Obi-Wan a clear view at the knot of scar tissue that’s in the centre of her back. Anakin sees his friend flinch as the sight of such a large wound on such a small girl.

She may be small, but Ahsoka is one of the mightiest people Anakin knows. 

“We should be punctual to the Council’s meeting.” Obi-Wan says, wearing a bigger smile now, “We have much to discuss.”

* * *

“Sure you’re ready for this?” Anakin asks Ahsoka once the trio are nearly at the Council Chamber. Obi-Wan watches Ahsoka anxiously as she walks, but he thinks he must be the only one seeing her prosthetic leg- Ahsoka doesn’t even seem to notice it herself. 

“Made it this far.” Ahsoka says, “I forgave you and Master Obi-Wan; it’s only fair I give the Council the same treatment.”

She has forgiven him, even though his carelessness cost her several limbs and nearly her life. How is that possible? Ahsoka is twice the Jedi Obi-Wan could ever be, and he could barely hold a lightsaber when he was her age.

They all look up at the top of the door where a green light flashes. 

“Time to face the music.” Anakin mutters as the doors open and reveal the Council Chamber. Obi-Wan hears Ahsoka suck in a breath beside him, but her Force-signature doesn’t reveal any fear, only anticipation.

Obi-Wan leads them inside, bowing to Master Yoda and then going to his seat. All of the Council members are in attendance, and only a handful are present in holographic form.

“Anakin, Ahsoka,” Master Yoda gives them a gracious smile as they come to a stop in the centre of the room. Neither of them bow- unsurprisingly. “Welcome back, you are.”

Anakin opens his mouth but Ahsoka beats him to it with a calm, “Thank you, Master Yoda. It’s good to be home.”

Her voice is clear, loud, and full of confidence. It shocks everyone in the room into silence. Most of the Council are staring at Ahsoka; most likely amazed at how quickly she seems to have recovered. Obi-Wan has to admit, it’s pretty incredible. 

“We heard we briefly lost you on Naboo, little Soka.” Ahsoka smiles when her oldest friend- Master Plo- breaks the silence. “I felt you falter in the Force myself. Know that I’m extremely relieved to see you’re alive.”

Ahsoka bows, “Thank you, Master Plo.”

When she returns to her upright position, every Council member- including Obi-Wan- stares at Windu who is now out of his Hardeen attire. He’s sat with one foot propped on his chair, resting his elbow on his knee and a look of boredom on his face.

Obi-Wan clears his throat, drawing Windu’s eyes to him which makes the Jedi sigh- very loudly- before looking at Ahsoka. “I suppose we owe you an apology, Tano.”

In the corner of his eye, he sees Anakin’s fists clench. Ahsoka’s voice is clipped, “That would be appreciated.”

Windu looks like he’s about to roll his eyes, but he stops himself. “On behalf of the Council, I apologise for putting your life at risk and then lying to you regarding the mission involving Rako Hardeen and the plot to kidnap the Chancellor.”

It’s a scripted apology, but it’s an apology none the less. Ahsoka nods stiffly, “Thank you, Master. Forgiven, you are.”

Her impersonation of Master Yoda gets a laugh out of Anakin, and a few Council members cover their mouths whilst their faces go red. Obi-Wan tries to keep his lips pressed tightly together although he can’t help but smile.

“Survived, your sense of humour has.” Yoda says, smiling.

Windu looks unimpressed, but that’s nothing new.

“I appreciate it, Masters, but I think you owe someone else an apology.” Ahsoka looks up at Anakin. “Losing my leg and all that was tough, but nothing would’ve been tougher than seeing my incredibly strong Master fall apart from the news of Obi-Wan’s death.”

Silence descends. Anakin goes a little pale before he puts a hand on Ahsoka’s shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. Obi-Wan doesn’t know what to say.

It’s easy to see Ahsoka has been physically injured, but Anakin has also been wounded by recent events. He’s always been fragile from his tough childhood, and Obi-Wan always forgets that because of how strong his former Padawan can make himself appear.

This time though, it’s Obi-Wan who has hurt him and it’s clear from Anakin’s silence that the wound is deep.

“I’m sorry, Anakin.” He says, looking the younger Jedi in the eye, “When I took on this mission, I never properly considered the consequences. I never should’ve gone through with it.”

Anakin’s jaw clenches, and he blinks rapidly. Obi-Wan understands he’s probably a little lost for words. The two men have never had such a vulnerable moment in front of the Council. The only reaction Obi-Wan receives is a strong pulse of love across their bond- he gladly returns it.

“Master Windu?” Ahsoka asks sweetly, “Have you got something to say to Master Skywalker?”

Veins start to bulge out of Windu’s forehead. If it weren’t for the circumstances, Obi-Wan would find it quite amusing. 

“Mace?” He prompts when steam is about to start coming out of Windu’s nostrils.

“Apologies, Skywalker.”

There it is. Short and snappy; Obi-Wan doubts Windu actually _wants_ to apologise to Anakin, but getting him to admit to his mistakes in front of the Council is enough. 

Anakin’s expression is still blank, “I’d like to forgive you, Master Windu, but I have one request.”

Windu looks at Yoda who nods, amusement etched in his deep wrinkles. Obi-Wan covers his mouth with his hand; this is going to be good.

“What?” Windu snaps.

“My Padawan will be using a double-ended lightsaber for the foreseeable future.” Anakin says, gestures to the new hilt on Ahsoka’s belt, “I’ve heard you’re quite capable with the duo blade forms.”

Windu’s eyebrows shoot up, “You want _me_ to teach your student?”

Obi-Wan grins, knowing exactly how difficult it can be to teach Ahsoka. She’s a dream to fight beside, but training is a different story. She’s impatient, easily frustrated and constantly makes snarky remarks. She’s probably the opposite of what Windu would call a good student.

“Teach Ahsoka, Mace shall.” Master Yoda says, already waving a hand when Windu opens his mouth to protest. “Discuss the rebel situation on Onderon, we must.”

* * *

“She needs to do her physiotherapy on her arm twice a day; eight reps of bicep curls with three kilograms of weight, ten reps of push-ups and twelve reps of clenching her hand into a fist and then-”

“Kix!” Rex puts his bag down to rub both hands down his face, “Can’t you just write all this stuff down?”

The medic is silent for a moment and then Rex hears his datapad ping, “Just sent it.”

“Thanks.” Rex sighs, looking up at the 501st medic, “I love you, vod, and I’m glad you’ve hacked the Temple’s medbay records, but I think Commander Tano knows what she needs to do to rehabilitate.”

Kix scoffs, “The Commander won’t even drink water for a headache, Captain. Don’t lie to yourself; she’s not capable of remembering all of this.”

“I’m sure she’ll manage.” 

“Healer Che doesn’t seem to think so.” Kix says, passes Rex his binoculars, “The General got special permission from the Council to take the Commander to Onderon.”

“Thanks,” he accepts the binoculars and looks up at the medic, “the General won’t put her through anything she can’t handle. Besides, I’ll be there and keeping an eye on things.”

“Make sure she doesn’t get herself even _more_ injured, Rex.” Kix says tiredly, “I’m not sure how much more her body can take.”

“She’ll be fine.” He says defiantly, “Sergeant Coric is in charge until I get back.”

Thankfully, Rex makes it out of the barracks without seeing any more of his brothers. They’ve been antsy since the incident on Naboo when they nearly lost their Commander. He even had to break up a few fights between the boys who got particularly aggressive towards the situation.

Fives tried to organise from the entire 501st to visit Naboo, but Rex managed to convince the ARC to call the trip off. He had a feeling Ahsoka didn’t want anything to do with the war for a while.

Now, she’s back, and already off on a mission. He spoke to Skywalker who said she’s recovering faster than anyone could’ve anticipated, but Rex will be the judge of whether or not she’s battle ready.

* * *

“Go, go, go, go!” The clone yells over the droning of the transport as the ramp lowers. Their drop zone is hardly secure and considering Onderon is under Separatist rule, they need to deploy quickly and quietly.

Ahsoka goes first, vaulting off the ramp and falling to the jungle below. Her stomach clenches as the wind rushes past her montrals, but before she knows it, she’s landing- perfectly balanced- on a low tree branch.

Anakin lands beneath her on the forest floor, but he looks up and gives her a small smile under his hood. It took them weeks of jumping from Padmé’s balcony to perfect the art of landing on both feet with the Force.

Once Rex touches the ground- using a jetpack to deploy- the three Jedi and clone Captain head off into the wilderness. Ahsoka stays low in the trees, using it as a vantage point to spot any potential threats. She can feel Obi-Wan’s eyes on her constantly. Every time she makes a particularly large jump, he flinches.

It feels good to be out in the field again- even though this is a jungle. Every hour spent in hospital beds was agonising, and Ahsoka can see Master Che’s frown whenever she closes her eyes. 

It feels good- not being bed-bound and in staggering amounts of pain.

A creature howls as it breaks through the foliage in front of them and a woman shouts, “Stay where you are!” Ahsoka looks around, sees they’re surrounded, “Identify yourselves.”

Anakin drops his hood to reveal his face, “It’s alright; we’re friends.”

The woman gasps, “Jedi.”

Ahsoka squints at the woman who seems to be in charge of the rebels. Rex moves half an inch closer to Ahsoka, his fingers resting on his blasters.

She rolls her eyes; such a protective Captain.

“I’m Commander Tano.” She declares, lowering her hood at the same time as Obi-Wan. “We’re here to help you take back your planet,” _and for her to see Lux_ _._

She was surprised to see Lux Bonteri appear on the comm in the Council Chamber- roughing it out with rebels. She’s excited to see her friend again, even if she doesn’t particularly want him to see her in this… _condition_.

“My name is Steela.” The woman says, bringing Ahsoka out of her thoughts. “Thank you for responding to our call.”

She suddenly realises this female is associated with Lux. Ahsoka starts to feel sick with something she isn’t familiar with; is this jealousy? Whatever it is, Anakin nudges her Force-signature with concern, making Ahsoka quickly expel her unwelcome emotions into the Force.

“Commander?”

Ahsoka spins her head to Rex who is even closer to her than before, “Yes, Captain?”

“Steela said she’ll take us to her secret base.” He informs her, frowning slightly, “You zoned out for a second there, sir; everything alright?”

“I’m fine.” Ahsoka shakes her head to reassure herself, “Just got lost in thought.” She inwardly curses herself for losing focus. This is her first mission back, and she can’t afford to mess it up. “Do you think we’ll need a password?”

“A password?” His lips move into a casual smirk.

“For their secret base.” She explains as they start walking, following Steela and her men.

Rex chuckles, “Like how Coric has a password for the medbay office on the _Resolute_?”

“I overheard Kix say it once.” Ahsoka teases, showing her teeth playfully, “I’ll tell you if you tell me what Fives wanted to call Skipper.”

Honestly, it can’t be that bad. Though, it _was_ bad enough to get Fives dish duty.

“You’re too young, kid. Maybe I’ll tell you once you pass your trials.” He says, grinning back at her. “Besides, I already know the password for the medbay office. Remember, the Captain knows everything.”

Ahsoka pouts, “Kill-joy.”

Rex laughs, widening his strides to catch up with Anakin- most likely to discuss how they’re going to train the rebels. Ahsoka does the same- just to show off that Skipper won’t slow her down.

She may not be ready to lead her men into battle- yet- but she can manage a trek through the jungle.

They step out into a clearing where the rebels have set up camp. It’s nothing special, but it’ll do. 

Saw Gerrera- Steela’s brother- is a muscular man who makes the other rebels look like starved labourers. From what Ahsoka can gather, he’s arrogant. Thankfully, Anakin makes it very clear that the Jedi are in charge. 

Anakin introduces them with their military titles, and although Ahsoka doesn’t feel like much of a Commander, Anakin makes her sound like one. 

“You’re a celebrity here, sir.” Rex murmurs to her as they walk towards the command centre- if it can even be called that- in their base.

“Hm?”

“Look around.” She does. “The rebels; they think you’re a god or something.”

There are a handful of rebels following them, and only then does Ahsoka notice the stares she’s getting. Rex is right. Confusion fills her; why’s she so interesting? Then-

“Ahsoka!” 

The call is so loud and sudden she nearly falls over. She turns to see Lux Bonteri- decked in clothes fit for a bounty hunter- running towards them. His arms are wide, as if he’s about to embrace her, and Ahsoka kind of hopes he does- even if it’s front of her Masters.

After all, Anakin isn’t _exactly_ following the Jedi Code with his marriage to Senator Amidala. Ahsoka has to admit though, those two are perfect for each other.

Lux slows down before he reaches her, dropping his arms- much to her disappointment. “I thought you were dead.”

Anakin nudges Rex, follows Obi-Wan with the Captain in tow, casting Ahsoka a knowing look over his shoulder.

“Surprise!” She says, holds out her arms as if to prove she’s alive.

“I heard Dooku…” he trails off when his eyes land on Skipper, and he pales. “I thought it was just a rumour…”

“This old thing?” She looks down at her fake leg, laughs, “Trust me, Lux, this is the least of my worries.”

“Force, you’ve been through the wars.” There’s not an ounce of pity in Lux’s eyes, just admiration. He nods to the rebel base around them, “I joined the rebellion here on Onderon because of you, Ahsoka.”

“Because of me?” She’s shocked. After Lux left in the escape pod, she figured he had forgotten all about her.

“After I heard you jumped through a window to go after Dooku.” Not one of her brightest ideas. “It inspired me to take a stand against that monster.”

“I lost.” She says, looking away, “Dooku won that fight.”

A warm hand on her shoulder brings her eyes to meet Lux’s again, and she swears the chevrons on her lekku must be black. “It doesn’t matter if you won or lost, Ahsoka. When people heard what you did, they started to believe _anybody_ can fight against the Separatists. You gave everyday people faith in themselves.”

She doesn’t even know how to respond- that’s how overwhelmed she is. Anakin nudges her Force-signature with irritation, silently telling her to hurry up. Lux releases her shoulder as if he can feel Anakin’s gaze on them.

“We’re going to take back Onderon, Lux.” She meets his eyes with a stern gaze- one she would use on her own men. “Trust me.” 

“I’ve learnt the hard way that it’s better to trust your judgement.” Lux turns to where the others are gathering, only for his gaze to fall to Skipper again, “You’re fine now though, right?”

She smiles, and the lie slips past her teeth, “I’m better than ever.”


	18. Chapter 18

Anakin knows Ahsoka like he knows himself.

It's easy to say everything's fine, but it's harder to act like everything is.

They've been on Onderon for less than five hours, and already Ahsoka's struggling. He can see every movement is hurting her, and her prosthetic knee is making a whirring sound that it really _shouldn't_ be making.

He lets her carry on at first, _hoping_ she'll come to him for help when she needs it.

"I'm worried about Ahsoka." Obi-Wan murmurs, stood by Anakin's side as they watch Rex and Ahsoka attempt to train the Onderon rebels. "I fear she's only going to hurt herself."

"She knows her limits." Anakin says, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice. Obi-Wan is still treating her like a patient, even though Master Che gave permission for this mission.

Ahsoka and Rex are showing the rebels how to disarm a tank using EMP grenades. It's supposed to be a one-man job, but these rebels are inexperienced and not fit enough to complete the task in a matter of seconds, so they'll be working in pairs.

Rex takes the front hatch, opening it with one hand and throwing the droid popper inside with the other. Ahsoka swings herself onto the main canon, walking along it to reach the top hatch and disarm the Commander who controls the turret.

Except she overbalances, and her ankle rolls off the canon. The rebels hardly notice as Rex extends a hand upwards, ready to catch her, and out of the corner of his eye, Anakin sees Obi-Wan reach out too.

Ahsoka catches herself, grabbing onto the canon and pulling herself up again as if nothing happened.

"Anakin." Obi-Wan says sternly.

"Fine," he says, "I'll speak to her."

The Captain and Commander disarm the tank together, and when they return to the ground, Anakin notices Ahsoka leaves Rex to teach the next lesson.

She walks over to her Masters, one hand on her hip as if it's sore. Anakin raises an eyebrow, "You alright?"

"Yeah," she walks past them, keeping her eyes low, "just need to take a breather."

Obi-Wan tuts beside him.

Anakin sighs, turning to follow his stubborn student as she sits on one of the cargo boxes, giving her legs a rest. He pulls a servodriver from his belt, "You've got to use Skipper like a real leg, Snips."

"I know." She says, leaning back on her hands, "It's the stupid ankle; it slipped."

"Here," he holds out a hand, and Ahsoka lifts her prosthetic leg into it. His analysis takes seconds, "I can fix it."

Ahsoka stays quiet as he tweaks the bolts which are coming loose. It's a problem he gets with his arm, even today. As he works, Anakin prods at her mental shields, gets a grasp at where her head is.

Regret swirls around the girl, making him frown.

"You think coming on this mission was a mistake?" He asks out loud.

Ahsoka shoots him a look for invading her privacy, "It's not exactly going great, is it? I'm more likely to get one of these rebels killed than train them to defend themselves."

"Snips," he can't help but laugh, "that's _exactly_ what I told Obi-Wan when you become my student, and you haven't turned out too bad."

She raises an eye-marking at him, "Have you _been_ here for the past month, Anakin? I _died_!"

He hates how easily she can say that.

"Well, maybe if one of the rebels die, the Force will decide to save them too." He says with a shrug, trying to use humour to ease the tension.

"You're not helping." She mutters, flexing her ankle once he's done with it. "Can I go back to the Temple?"

"No." He says, crossing his arms over his chest. "If you go back to the Temple, you'll never want to go on another mission again."

"I just feel like a waste of space here!" She exclaims, slamming her fist on her prosthetic knee.

It's clear this is stressing her out, but Anakin really doesn't want to send her back to the Temple. She'll never want to leave again, and he doubts the Council will let her until she's thirty-five. Master Che will also throw a fit and order Anakin's execution if Ahsoka returns with even a scratch.

"Ahsoka," he takes her chin in his fingers, forcing her eyes to meet his, "you got through amputation and death. You can get through this, I promise."

She sighs, "I'll try, Master."

"Do or do not, there is no try," he reminds her, swiping her chin with his thumb. "Catch your breath, and then get ready for the next session."

* * *

She tries- she really does- but Ahsoka only seems to be getting worse.

They're doing drills to disarm the Droidekas, and Rex- by no fault of his- passes the EMP grenade to her left hand. She doesn't even realise the mistake until the ball drops through her fingers, detonating itself when it hits the ground so both officers have to jump away from it.

Rex laughs it off, apologising profusely and then saying they’re lucky it wasn’t one of the bombs filled with the Blue Shadow Virus. His joke makes her smile, but she's more embarrassed than anything.

What if it _was_ a Blue Shadow Virus bomb? Everyone within a ten-klick radius would be dead.

It's understandable when Lux pairs up with Steela to practise rolling the EMP grenades, and Ahsoka tries not to feel hurt. After all, she didn’t come here to re-kindle any sort of friendship with that man- no, _boy_.

When Saw asks her to pair up with him, she thinks it’ll be a good distraction until he asks; "So, what's your history with Bonteri?"

Best conversation starter- asking a Jedi Commander about their personal life.

"We met about a year ago, on Raxus." She says, demonstrating with her right arm how to roll the EMP grenade correctly. If she refuses to share her past with Lux, Saw will come to his own conclusions. "Then, his mother died, and he got involved with the Death Watch. I helped him escape them."

"Really?" She looks over at Saw, leaning against a crate with a smug expression on his face. "He told me that he _negotiated_ his way out."

She snorts, "We fought our way out of that camp."

"I thought so." Grinning, Saw pushes himself off the crate and walks towards her, "He's not much of a soldier though, not like you."

She pauses, her arm mid-swing, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well," he steps in line with her, shrugging, "You're _Commander Tano_. Too many victories to count and a legacy awaiting you. He's just Mr Bonteri, a rich kid who wants to avenge his mother's death."

She doesn't roll the droid popper, spinning around to face him. "Mina Bonteri may have been a Separatist, but she was a respectable politician and a good person. She deserves justice."

"I don't doubt that." Saw's smirk grows, "I just think her son can't quite fill the shoes she left behind. He's only going to get himself killed-"

"Not if I can help it." She growls back, somewhat possessively.

She isn't responsible for Lux, but she would take a shot for him without question, even if it cost her the same consequences as her last heroic stunt.

"So, you care about him?" Saw takes the EMP grenade out of her hand and rolls it towards the Droideka, managing to get it under the shield. "That's interesting."

"What is?" She demands.

"That bounty hunter shot you, what? Over a month ago?" Ahsoka's not sure where he's going with this, but she nods anyway. "Bonteri's been here for a while. We saw the _HoloNet_ coverage when Dooku supposedly killed you.”

"What's your point, Gerrera?" She asks, getting irritated. Those aren't exactly happy memories for her.

"Bonteri didn't try to make contact with you basically _died_."

Her eye-markings fly upwards in shock, "I didn't expect him too."

"But did you contact him after his mother died?"

Her jaw flexes. Ahsoka was grounded to the Temple- a consequence of taking Padmé to Raxus- when she found out about Mina's death. She sent Lux a voice message, but she never knew if he even received it.

"Bit one-sided, isn't it?" Saw says smugly.

She rolls her eyes, "You're sticking your nose in a relationship that has _nothing_ to do with you. Now," she opens her palm, a new droid popper flying into her hand, "do it right two more times, and then we're done."

He chuckles, "Yes, ma'am."

"Sir." She corrects sharply, "I prefer 'sir'."

His dark eyes scan her up and down, "Whatever you say, Commander."

She turns a blind eye to the obvious disrespect. She may have been a reputable officer before her injury, but she hasn't been on the field in over a month and she won't be on another battlefield for a while. She feels like a new Padawan all over again.

* * *

Rex's voice is thoroughly sore.

He does training drills with his own men on the regular, but he doesn't have to scream at them like he has to with the Onderon rebels.

Honestly, he's never seen such arrogant shinies in his entire military career, and _Fives_ was a shiny when he joined the 501st, so that’s saying something about these rebels.

It’s thoroughly hard work, and he doubts he’ll train them well enough to survive the first battle, let alone taking down their dictator.

His job would be a lot easier if he weren’t so damn distracted by a certain Togruta and her unusual quietness.

Ahsoka's always had a gift when it comes to interacting with civilians, and Skywalker said she was ecstatic for this mission, so when he sees her lingering on the side-lines instead of jumping in headfirst, he's deeply concerned.

"What's on your mind, Rex?" Skywalker sighs, stepping in line with him, "The same thing as me?"

Rex huffs out a laugh, knowing Skywalker has also been eyeing Ahsoka like a hawk. She's talking to Obi-Wan right now, the elder Jedi's hand on her unwounded shoulder. He wonders what they’re talking about.

"She's not herself," Rex says, _but who could expect her to be?_ He looks around, his gaze landing on a rebel who's caught his attention. "What do we know about that kid?"

"Who? Lux Bonteri?" Skywalker asks, following his gaze. Rex nods, "His mother, Mina Bonteri, was a Separatist Senator. She was murdered a few months ago- by Dooku, I think. I guess he decided to help the rebels out with the diplomatic side of things."

Rex nearly laughs; Separatist dictators don't tend to listen to diplomacy, especially from children.

"And he knows the Commander?" He wonders out loud, "Is that who she stayed with when she and Senator Amidala went on their little adventure into Separatist space."

Skywalker hums in confirmation; he’s never approved of Ahsoka going to Raxus, even though she went with Senator Amidala- one of his closest friends.

"They have a history." Skywalker says, his voice low. "When he tried to get justice for his mother's death, he made a deal with the Death Watch and dragged Ahsoka along with him."

Rex's eyebrows rise, "Death Watch as in the Mandalorian terrorists or the heavy metal band?"

"I wish it was the band." Skywalker's tone is tainted with amusement. "She managed to get both of them out of Death Watch's camp alive. Afterwards, she offered him protection within the Republic, but he took off."

Rex presses his lips together, "That was awfully generous of her to invite a Separatist and terrorist-negotiator behind our lines, sir."

"I agree." Skywalker says, which means he knows what Rex is implying.

Ahsoka and Lux's relationship goes a bit beyond being 'just friends'.

"I'll speak to her about getting her priorities straight," Skywalker promises, "but she tends to listen to her Captain more than me."

So, this is Rex's job now.

"No problem, sir." He lies through his teeth. What does a clone know about the relationship between two teenagers of the opposite sex?

* * *

"Commander Tano?"

She peeps her head out of her sleeping bag, watching Rex as he steps inside their tent. In the dim light, she can just make out his frown. "You feeling alright?"

"I’m fine," her voice croaks a little, "Why?"

"It's 2100 and you're already in bed." Rex states, closing the entry flap behind him. In his hand is two bowls of steaming stew. The smell makes her want to be sick. "You didn't even say goodnight, you just vanished."

"Sorry," she says meekly, pushing herself into a sitting position and rubbing her eyes. She has to move again when her brace digs into her hips. "Master Che put me on a prescription of sleeping meds and they work like a charm."

It's mostly true. Her insomnia was bad enough for her to be prescribed medicine, but she hasn't gone to bed early because she's tired.

She doesn't admit it, but Saw's questions make her wonder: did Lux _really_ care that she got injured? Maybe he only said those things to her because he felt expected to, or because there was an audience. Some people only befriend Jedi to raise their own status amongst others.

"You should eat so you don't feel groggy in the morning." Rex takes a knee in front of her, offering the bowl of stew. "Target practice and hand-to-hand training tomorrow; you'll need your strength."

She peers into the bowl and nearly gags from the aroma. Rex doesn't budge, "Please, Ahsoka."

It’s as close as he can get to ordering her.

Shimmying out of her sleeping bag, Ahsoka takes the bowl, not expecting Rex to sit down with his own meal, "Aren't you going to eat with the others?"

He gives her an amused look, "And listen to the Generals preach Jedi teachings about wisdom and perseverance? No thanks."

She lets out a laugh, "I think Obi-Wan will be doing most of the preaching. Anakin's probably just nodding after everything he says."

Rex chuckles, producing a spoon from his back pocket. He knows Ahsoka doesn't use utensils if the food's in a bowl; it's easier to just drink it.

They eat quietly, Rex finishing several minutes before she does because she has to convince herself to swallow every mouthful. He leans against the central tent pole, watching her finish the final scraps when he speaks, "Kix will kill me if I don't make you do your physio."

She rolls her eyes, lowering her bowl to her lap. "Fine, Doc."

Rex smirks, shuffling forwards so his knees are nearly touching hers. She extends her left hand, lets him take a hold of it before going through her exercises.

"I don't see how any of this helps," she sighs, clenching his warm hand in her cool one repeatedly, "it's not like it'll heal my paralysis."

"You'll notice a difference when you start the steroid treatment," Rex tells her, and she remembers it taking him weeks to regain full mobility in his arm after Saluecami. "The physio is keeping your muscles strong."

She huffs at his knowledge of medical expertise, "I should've just stayed at the Temple."

Rex shakes his head, keeping his eyes on her hand, "You're better off here, getting used to being in the field again."

"It's not that." She lets go of his hand and starts reaching out her entire arm until her fingertips touch his shoulder, "I think it's a mental thing holding me back."

Rex finally meets her gaze, "What do you mean?"

She shrugs her good shoulder, feeling embarrassed. "Just don't feel like I'm much of an asset here; I certainly don't feel like the rebels should be calling me Commander."

His face immediately hardens, "Don't say that, Ahsoka."

"Listen, Rex-"

"No!" He cuts her off, his volume rising. He's looking at her like she's a shiny who just needlessly risked their life on their first mission. His Force-signature overboils with a variety of emotions that Ahsoka’s too tired to identify.

Anger, protectiveness, fear… the list goes on.

"You listen, Ahsoka," he takes her hand and presses it to his chest. "I know your hand's still kriffed, but what can you feel?"

"Your heart?" She replies confused. It's a faint pulse, muffled under his civilian clothes. If he were wearing his armour, she wouldn't be able to feel it at all. "Rex, I don't under-"

"It's a sign of _every_ time you've saved my life over the past year and a half. I wouldn't be _alive_ if it weren't for you, Ahsoka."

She feels her jaw go slack, and words fail her.

"When Grievous nearly took my head off on the Skytop Station, _you_ were the one who saved me. Kriff, you barely knew me, and you took on that overgrown clanker without a second thought.”

Ahsoka’s appalled; did he expect her to just let Grievous murder him? She would take on Grievous to save any of her men, from her Captain to the lowest ranking shiny.

“Before that day, I only called you Commander because you were a Jedi." He captures her eyes with his piercing gaze, "Afterwards, I swore no matter _what_ happened, you would always be known as Commander Tano, and I'd serve beside you _proudly_."

"Three weeks later, you came sprinting across the grasslands of Maridun, saving me from being eaten alive by those Mastiff phalones. You’ve been looking out for me through it _all_ , Ahsoka.” She opens her mouth to protest, “Don’t even try to deny it.”

She stays quiet, her heart thudding to see a clone trooper getting so erratic and emotional. She’s never seen Rex speak to one of his brothers with so much… she doesn’t even know what to call it.

"And after Umbara," her montrals pick up the crack in his voice, "you were the one who saved me from myself. You picked up the pieces, even when I turned my back on you.”

She becomes aware of her every heavy breath once Rex finishes. They don't break eye contact, staring at each other. His jaw is set, eyebrows furrowed in anger. Her head spins.

Ahsoka flexes her hand out of his grip and pushes it further against his chest, feeling his heart hammer beneath his ribs. It feels like he's having an adrenaline rush.

“What about every time I’ve cocked up and nearly cost you your skin?” She asks, remembering every mission where she’s nearly gotten him killed.

“It doesn’t matter.” He tells her, “We’re both still here, aren’t we? Yeah, we’re a bit bruised and bloody, but we’ve gotten out of every tight scrape. We’re still fighting.”

Ahsoka takes a deep breath, digests his words.

Then, her arms are around his neck, and she's letting out a shuddery breath as the weight of his words sinks in.

It doesn't matter how many times she loses faith in herself; Rex will always support her. It's a promise of loyalty.

Rex is the best Captain in the Grand Army of the Republic. Having his loyalty means more to her than he’ll ever realise. It means _everything_ right now.

Two muscular arms wrap around her back, gently tightening. She can feel Rex's warm breath fanning over her shoulder, giving her goosebumps.

“You’re a brilliant Commander, Ahsoka, and an even better friend.” She hears him murmur.

"Thank you for always having faith in me," she whispers, feeling tears brim in her eyes.

He rubs her back, "You're so much stronger than you give yourself credit for. You’ll show those rebels what it takes to serve alongside you on the field.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **T/W: Ableism and derogatory names for disabled people**

Ahsoka's up early the next morning- much to her surprise and everyone else’s.

They do a few laps of the base, mostly in silence and at a slower speed than normal. Ahsoka tells him she can go faster, but Rex insists he's comfortable, so they stick to a gentle jogging pace.

By the time they finish their cardio, eat some vile porridge, and do the first set of physiotherapy exercises, the rebels and other Jedi are just waking up.

"You're up early, Snips," Anakin says through a yawn, barely awake.

"Lots to do today, Master!" Ahsoka calls back, hurrying backwards and forwards to help Rex get ready for the training session.

She feels optimistic today, like her prosthetic limb is no longer a dead weight on the rest of her body. Slipping off her back brace may also be contributing to her elevated mood, but she isn't going to admit that to Anakin.

It's supposed to stay on for at least another four weeks but taking it off for one day won't kill her.

Rex passes her some padded sparring mats which she drags into the centre of the camp, setting up a temporary ring.

"Good morning, Ahsoka," Lux says, on his way past with two cups of caf. She can only guess who the second one’s for.

"Morning," she replies, throwing the mat to the ground which sends up a cloud of dust, "ready to test your hand-to-hand later?"

"I think our trip to Death Watch proved I'm not much of a fighter." He laughs before looking serious, "Are you going to be sparring or will your Masters be doing the demonstration?"

"I'll be doing it." She replies, slightly offended, "Rex and I spar together regularly."

"Oh, I see." She presses her lips together at his answer, "I just figured with your injuries and all-"

"I'll manage fine." She says, cutting him off.

Lux seems to realise his mistake and backtracks, "I'm sure you will, Ahsoka."

"Lux!" They turn to see Steela approaching, stretching her arms over her head, "You managed to sneak off this morning."

Ahsoka feels her jaw clench

They're sleeping together, or at least in the same tent.

She and Rex are too, but it's different. They're Captain and Commander, not rebel and politician.

Why does the thought of Lux and this woman being close make Ahsoka feel so horrible inside?

"I wanted to get some caf before it went cold," Lux passes Steela a mug, a doe-like look in his eyes, "I was just talking to Ahsoka about the sparring practise today."

"Oh," Steels turns her gaze to Ahsoka, her gaze automatically falling to Skipper, "don't you have a bit of an advantage with the metal leg? It’ll hurt a hell of a lot to be kicked by that.”

Ahsoka crosses her arms over her chest, "The _only_ advantage I've got is years of training. Even if the prosthetic assists me, it shouldn't put you at a disadvantage. We’re all on the same side, after all."

Steela’s eyes flash, "This is _our_ fight, Jedi, not yours."

Ahsoka holds her tongue when she wants to retort the obvious: _don't ask for help if you aren't willing to accept it._

Instead, she watches Steela march away, and Lux gives her a look, "Don't take it personally; Steela's under a lot of stress. She only wants what's best for Onderon."

"Of course," Ahsoka replies coolly, the image of a composed Commander. Inside, she's trembling from a mixture of emotions she doesn't know how to deal with. "Excuse me."

* * *

Something changed in Ahsoka overnight, Anakin decides.

Yesterday, she was flustered, distracted, and putting herself down at every opportunity. Today, she's stood in front of the rebels with her hands on her hips, wearing her game face.

"I think Ahsoka was kidnapped last night and her capture replaced her with a carbon copy." Obi-Wan says beside him, fighting to keep a smile off his face.

Anakin chuckles- talking with Obi-Wan is a lot easier now than it was before they went to Naboo. "I told you, Rex can get through to her better than I can sometimes."

"Hand-to-hand combat is not a skill which can be learnt in a few hours." Ahsoka starts her lesson, standing before the rebels, "Thankfully, the Generals, Captain and I have lifetimes worth of experience, so you'll certainly pick up a thing or two which could save your life."

From the side-lines, Rex instructs a re-programmed B1 droid to join Ahsoka on the mat. It's unarmed, but it still makes the rebels' eyes shine with excitement as it marches over to her.

"B1s are slow; they're only dangerous when armed." Ahsoka explains. "They can run at a top speed of seven kilometres an hour and are only programmed with thirty-six combat motions.

"They may look flimsy, but punching one of these guys is only going to break your own bones. _Unless_ you have a cybernetic-" Ahsoka suddenly spins, kicking out her prosthetic to take the B1s head off before anyone can blink.

Anakin tries to maintain his composure, but he can't help but laugh. Every rebel's jaw is slack as the droid's head rolls on the floor.

"Did _you_ teach her that?" Obi-Wan hisses beside him.

"Maybe." Anakin grins, raising his hands, "Hey, you have to play with the cards you're dealt."

"You should only be hitting B1s with your knees and elbows," Ahsoka instructs, "Hit them with your fist, skull or foot, and you'll wish you hadn't.”

Another B1 steps onto the mat to replace the headless one, "The droid will _always_ make the first move; use that to your advantage."

As if on cue, the B1 strikes out its left fist, easily getting blocked by Ahsoka's right. She steps in, closing the distance to score an uppercut with her left elbow, hooking right beneath the droid's jaw. The B1 staggers backwards, its skull now lopsided.

"Why did she hit with her left?" Obi-Wan asks quietly.

"The paralysis screwed her pain receptors slightly." Anakin explains, "She can put a fair amount of force behind the blow without feeling the aftershock."

"Aim for their neck, shoulders and hips; this is where they're weakest." Ahsoka instructs, keeping her fists raised and feet light as the recovering droid gets closer to her. She dismantles it in less than two moves, the only part still standing is its two legs.

“She seems battlefield ready.” Obi-Wan murmurs.

“Not quite.” His former Master has no idea how much work still needs to be done.

"Commando droids are significantly deadlier." With a wave of a hand, Ahsoka pushes the B1 parts away, making space for the Commando droid to step onto the mat. "they don't need a weapon to kill, and they can come up with combat combinations on the spot.

"They're acrobatic, fast and strong." Ahsoka steps back, allowing the rebels to see the droid do a few different moves to demonstrate their skills. "It's best to create distance between you and droid before using a weapon against them. If you hold a blaster near it, you'll lose your gun and then your hand."

"So, what do we do when they disarm us and back us into a corner?" Saw Gerrera calls out.

"Good question." Ahsoka replies, and Anakin can see the fire in her eyes again. It's a sign of the old Snips. "Take out their legs, and they can still fight. Even without a head, they pack a strong punch.”

She turns to the Commando droid and falls into an opening position, "Aiming for their torsos is the best way to take them down if you have no other options."

She springs at the droid, grabbing its compact head and delivering a sharp knee to its chest, snapping off its neck and legs at the same time. Her prosthetic foot puts a big dent in its middle, and after it sparks a few times, the disabled droid falls to the floor.

"Impressive." Obi-Wan says.

"Let's see how the rebels get on." Anakin replies, crossing his arms over his chest.

Rex reveals a squad of re-programmed B1s inside a storage container. “Who wants to try first?”  
  
Saw steps up- cocky as ever, “Facing off with a clanker? This will be a game!”

"This isn't a playground push around,” Ahsoka warns, “this is a someone's-not-getting-up-again situation. If a droid can take you down, it’ll kill you. They won’t listen if you beg for mercy.”

“Then I won’t ask for it,” Saw says, and Anakin’s reminded of his younger, more arrogant self who threw himself into harm’s way at every opportunity.

Not much has changed.

Saw surprises Anakin by taking down the droid in less than five hits. Granted, he got a metal knee to the stomach which made him groan, but his cockiness eventually led to him disabling the B1 in less than two minutes.

“Not bad,” Ahsoka says, her arms crossed over her chest, “but if the droid called for backup, you would be screwed.”

“What do you want me to do?” Saw exclaims as he steps off the mat, throwing his arms up in the air.

“Spend less time circling the droid and more time engaging its attacks.” Ahsoka replies, unbothered by Saw’s outburst. “You don’t have time for evasion; you either _do_ or die. Bonteri, you’re up next.”

Anakin’s makes eye contact with Rex, the clone Captain looking just as surprised. Did Ahsoka just call Lux by his last name?

Lux steps onto the mat as if he’s about to make a speech, rolling his sleeves up to his elbows and pushing his hair out of his eyes.

Anakin cringes. Unless it’s the beautiful Senator of Naboo, politicians always manage to get under his skin. They’re like sand: coarse, rough, irritating and always sticking their noses in places where they aren’t welcome.

Warzones, for example. What’s so hard to understand about politicians staying in courts and not entering battlefields like they’re heroes?

Lux doesn’t get one hit in before he’s knocked to the floor, the wind pushed out of his lungs. He grunts but doesn’t make any move to get up before the droid prepares to stomp on his head. Anakin feels the flicker of uncertainty within Ahsoka.

She’s torn about whether she should intervene.

The Jedi aren’t here to fight for the rebels, and constantly saving their shebs will only worsen their abilities to handle themselves. Although, how can the rebels fight the Separatists if none of them survive boot camp?

Ahsoka makes up her mind and darts in, knocking the droid away with a kick to its side. It staggers but doesn’t fall. Anakin’s confused what her intentions are until he sees her giving Lux a hand up.

She’s given him time to defeat the droid himself.

“Ahsoka is becoming a phenomenal leader,” Obi-Wan says as Lux finally manages to hit the droid, earning a few words of praise from the Togruta.

“She’ll make a great General someday,” Anakin replies, feeling pride in his chest.

Steela turns out to be the best sparrer in the group, and that doesn’t surprise Anakin. She’s strong enough to hit the droid without injuring herself, and she’s clever enough to predict its moves, which her brother failed to do.

Within thirty seconds, the droid is in two pieces on the floor. She’s the first rebel to break the metal joints.

“Good work,” Ahsoka says, her voice cold which makes Anakin’s frown. “How do you think you’ll do against a Commando?”

“Ahsoka,” Obi-wan steps forwards, “I don’t think that’s wise. It’s highly unlikely the rebels will face Commando droids.”

The Padawan raises an eye-marking, “It’s better to be prepared, Master. Steela, are you up for it?”

“Absolutely.” The woman responds, settling into a crouch which is almost identical to the one Ahsoka used earlier.

Anakin knows Ahsoka’s aware of this imitation as her top lip pulls back slightly. It’s a predatory instinct from her ancestry- revealing her canines to warn someone.

“Let her go,” Anakin tells Obi-Wan who still looks like he wants to protest.

“Jealousy is a dangerous emotion, Anakin.”

“She won’t let anything happen to Steela.” The Knight says, shaking his head at the thought. He knows Ahsoka will jump in the moment Steela realises she can’t handle the expert combat droid.

* * *

Ahsoka can feel Anakin’s eyes on her, boring a hole into her skull with his penetrating gaze. She checks her shields, makes sure they’re holding strong before giving Steela a false smile, “You’ll have to be quick; the Commandos are faster than the standard B1 model.”

Steela glances her way, “If a cripple can beat one, I’m sure I can too.”

Ahsoka pulls back, startled.

If Steela was a shiny, Ahsoka would put her in her place, but she’s a rebel. Anakin and Obi-Wan are watching her, and she can’t let people think that comment offended her.

 _It’s just a comment_ , she says to herself, _get over it._

“Start it up, Rex.” She says, stepping off the ring.

Rex turns the Commando into manual mode and Ahsoka puts a hand on her lightsaber, knowing she’ll need to take the droid’s head off before it kills the poor woman.

She’s surprised when Steela manages to get the first hit in.

And the second.

And nearly the third, if the droid hadn’t picked Steela up and thrown her to the ground.

The rebels gasp as Steela jumps to her feet, not an ounce of pain or embarrassment on her face. Ahsoka growls under her breath, her nails digging into her arm to make crescent-shaped white marks in orange flesh.

The droid kicks Steela’s stomach, sending her back down to one knee. Ahsoka thinks it’ll be over after that, but Steela’s relentless and stands up, hitting the Commando’s face with an uppercut.

Ahsoka sneaks a look at Rex from across the ring to see he’s wearing his ’I’m impressed’ expression.

“Great.” She mutters, rolling her eyes.

Steela hoists herself onto the droid’s shoulders, and from there, Ahsoka knows the outcome. Commandos are only deadly if they can get their hands on you and exploit their height.

The clanker’s head drops to the floor, rolling to a stop in front of Ahsoka’s boot. Steela wrestles the headless droid to the ground, moving too fast to see what’s happening.

The Commando stops struggling, and Steela stands up, revealing the sparking hole in its centre. Ahsoka frowns, trying to understand how Steela stabbed it without a weapon.

The truth comes to light when Steels flips a dagger in her hand, saying to the rebels, “The Commander forgot to mention that the droids will only disarm visible weapons.”

The rebels burst into thunderous applause, whistling, and cheering for Steela as she steps off the mat, attaching the dagger to her belt where it’s hidden out of sight.

“That’s cheating.” Ahsoka says, keeping her gaze narrowed.

“I won, didn’t I? Is that hard for you to take?” Ahsoka feels her heart hammering in her chest with the need to assert her superiority over Steela. “Maybe we should try some one-on-one combat. What do you say?”

It’s not a request to refine her skills in hand-to-hand, it’s a challenge.

In the 501st, challenges are common. Make an insulting comment or purposefully trip someone up in training, and a challenge spar is soon to follow. The winner gets bragging rights.

Ahsoka’s never been challenged before.

She’s shocked speechless.

“Steela,” Lux runs up to them. He just _couldn’t_ resist joining their conversation, could he? “You were amazing!”

Steela ignores him, just staring at Ahsoka, “I’ll let you think about it, Commander.”

She thinks about the challenge as she walks away. She knows she ought to tell Anakin or Obi-Wan- maybe even Rex- but she can’t bring herself to. What will they say? They’ll tell her that she doesn’t need to accept a challenge to prove herself.

She doesn’t, but if she refuses, what is she? A coward.

At dinner, she makes up her mind and approaches Steela after collecting two bowls of stew for her and Rex, “You’re on, Gerrera. Tonight, in the sparring ring. No need for any spectators.”

Steela nods, “I look forward to it, Tano.”

They meet at nightfall.

Steela’s waiting in the area where they practised earlier, away from the tents of sleeping rebels and Jedi. Ahsoka knows if Rex hears them, he’ll mistake it as a droid invasion and come running.

“I’m surprised you accepted my challenge.” Steela says, slipping off her boots.

Ahsoka does the same, leaving her lightsaber inside for safekeeping. “You impressed me earlier, I’ll admit. I’d like to see what you’re really made of.”

The woman’s gaze drops to her leg, “I’m also curious if Lux’s respect for you is well-earned.”

She’d like to see Steela escape a Death Watch camp.

“Got any hidden weapons this time?” Ahsoka asks, “The first rule of sparring hand-to-hand is to _not_ bring weapons into the ring.”

Steela smiles, “I don’t need it. Now, do you want to waste any more time, or shall we get to it?”

“Let’s go.”

Ahsoka’s only sparred Anakin since her injury, and it becomes apparent that he’s been going easy on her when Steela swiftly takes the upper hand within the first few moves. She hits fast and without hesitation, using a style Ahsoka’s never seen before.

She isn’t acrobatic like a Jedi or closely engaging like the clones. Steela makes unpredictable moves, often in odd sequences that Ahsoka wouldn’t expect. It throws her off guard.

“You’re not giving me any reason to call you Commander.” Steela taunts.

Ahsoka keeps her growl in her chest. She’s never been good at taking insults.

Then, she realises Steela’s first weakness; she doesn’t block.

Ahsoka’s quick to exploit this, making lots of jabs to the face and chest which Steela can’t shield herself from. She nearly laughs; blocking is the basic necessity for ring fighting.

One hit sends Steela staggering back onto the ground, one single drop of blood starting to fall from her nose. Ahsoka doesn’t offer a hand up, she just backs up so Steels can stand before they start sparring again.

“Where did you learn to fight?” Ahsoka asks, recovering from a knee to her stomach with a back handspring. “I don’t recognise your style.”

“I don’t use a style.” Steela replies, finally managing to block one of Ahsoka’s hits with her forearm, “My dad taught Saw and I how to fight. We were always destined to be soldiers.”

“Why’s Saw so bad at it then?” Ahsoka asks, breaking away to wipe the sweat off her brow. The nights on Onderon are humid.

Steela laughs, “Saw’s impatient; he expects everything to be easy.”

“And you don’t?” Ahsoka steps in again, wiping Steela off her feet with one kick.

Steela grabs her flesh leg and manages to flip Ahsoka over, knocking the air from her lungs when her back hits the mat. She’s going to regret not wearing her back brace. “I’m prepared to struggle to get Onderon back. I know it won’t be easy. I’ll _die_ , if necessary.”

“It’s not your responsibility to sacrifice your life for this planet. You could just leave.” Ahsoka says, straddling Steela and pinning down her arms, waiting for her to tap out.

“You’ve clearly never loved something enough that you would die for it!” Steela growls, flipping Ahsoka over and pressing her forearm to her chest, keeping her down.

“You’d be surprised.” Ahsoka stills suddenly, her montrals twitching, “Do you hear that?”

Steela smirks, “I’m not going to fall for that, Jedi.”

“No,” With the Force, Ahsoka pushes the woman away and looks into the wilderness, squinting. Her eyesight’s good, but not _this_ good. “Listen; I can hear-”

“Kriff…” Steela swears under her breath, “Droids.”

* * *

“I’m _very_ disappointed with you, Ahsoka.” Obi-Wan says, giving the girl his most serious look. “Sparring with Steela without supervision was dangerous, especially considering the way you feel about her.”

Ahsoka groans, looking like she’s about to stomp her feet and throw a tantrum, “I wasn’t going to hurt her, Master.”

“You don’t know that.”

“It was a good thing we were sparring last night or else we wouldn’t have spotted the droid invasion.” Ahsoka argues, “You said yourself, they knew we would be vulnerable.”

Obi-Wan holds in a sigh, tightly holding his right wrist which has been throbbing since the skirmish last night where droids invaded their camp. Waking up to Ahsoka’s shouts of an incoming attack certainly wasn’t the most pleasant experience.

Really, it was Steela’s quick thinking that saved them. She used her rifle to release the animals from the pens who took care of the droids. Lux and Saw managed to take out the tank, and all the Jedi did was illuminate the battle with their lightsabers.

“Obi-Wan, are you in here? We’re nearly ready to leave.” Anakin steps inside the tent, pausing as he takes in the scene, “Are you _still_ lecturing her?”

Force, give him strength.

“He won’t stop,” Ahsoka whines.

“Watch your mouth, young one.” Obi-Wan says, his patience wearing thin. “Anakin, do you not care that your student was sparring last night? Not for practise but because she was _challenged_.”

“Challenged, eh?” Anakin smirks at Ahsoka, looking no worse for wear after the fight last night, “Did you win, Snips?”

“We kind of got interrupted by a droid ambush.” Ahsoka murmurs. Obi-Wan hears her inhale sharply. “Master Kenobi, I’m sorry for disappointing you. Please, can we finish this conversation later? I’d like to help the rebels get organised for the trip to the city.”

This girl will be the death of him.

“You’re excused, Ahsoka.” Obi-Wan watches her leave, knowing she’ll come up with another excuse to avoid the rest of this conversation. “You’re a terrible example, Anakin.”

“Hey,” Anakin steps around his exiting student and comes further into the tent, “You’re being way too tough on her. This is her first mission back; you can’t expect her to be perfect.”

“No, I can’t.” Obi-Wan folds his hands over each other, “But amputee or not, I _do_ expect her to act like a Jedi.”

“We’re not going over this again.” Anakin rubs his forehead, “She is _traumatised_ , Obi-Wan. Ahsoka feels like she’s constantly needing to prove herself to be deemed a real Jedi here. She needs our support. We can’t just shove the rules down her throat every time she opens her mouth.”

Obi-Wan has to slowly count down from ten in his head to calm himself. Anakin gives up and storms from the tent, “We’re leaving in five.”


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **T/W: Ableist language, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder attack and sexual harassment/assault. Please take care whilst reading.**

Iziz is nice.

If the city wasn't under Separatist occupation, Ahsoka would've suggested going on leave here with Anakin.

It's easier to focus on the stunning architecture instead of Saw’s cockiness, Steela’s attitude and Lux’s lovesick eyes as he follows the rebel woman around like she's a god.

She thought the air was clear between her and Steela after their spar, but apparently not. Every time Ahsoka opens her mouth to offer a strategic suggestion, the woman either talks over her or straight up ignores her.

It reminds her of early in the war when nobody took her seriously.

It doesn't help that Anakin, Obi-Wan and Rex are leaving her to supervise the rebels on her own. Usually, she would've jumped at the opportunity to lead, but not now.

Not like this.

"You'll be fine," Anakin reassures her, a firm hand on her shoulder. "You're more than capable at managing the situation here."

She isn't. How can she establish any authority here when every rebel just sees her as a crippled runt? She can feel them staring at Skipper, sees them whispering to each other whenever her Masters aren’t at her side.

"You're paranoid," Anakin says softly, reading her thoughts, "You've been a Commander for a long time, Snips; you've got this. I know it's scary, but you _have_ to believe in yourself."

She sighs in defeat, knowing he won’t change his mind, "Okay, Master."

Anakin rubs the valley of her montrals, "I'll keep in touch."

"Be mindful of your actions, Ahsoka," Obi-Wan warns, "And remember, you cannot let your emotions cloud your judgement."

"Yes, Master," she says, bowing respectfully. Obi-Wan's been getting more and more sceptical of her abilities since they arrived, and she doesn't want to worsen the distrust he holds in her, even if she doesn't have faith in herself either.

"Remember your purpose," Anakin says, turning to leave.

Rex hesitates for a moment before joining his General, "See you on the flip side, Commander."

She forces a smile, "Tell the boys I said hi, Rexster."

The clone gives her a mock salute which she returns, and then she watches their retreating figures. It's just her now.

In the Halls of Healing, she was rarely alone for too long; Anakin always made sure she had company. Now, there's nobody but herself and a band of rebels who don't even like her.

She re-enters their base, sees the three 'leaders' getting ready to leave, "Where are you going?"

"We're going to take down the power grid," Lux says, passing Steela her rifle, "it's the perfect way to get the civilians' attention without making them fearful."

"I see." Ahsoka's thrilled this is only being brought to her attention now. She raises a sceptical eye marking, "You're going to take the whole facility down with a rifle?"

"Recon, Jedi." Steela says, walking past Ahsoka and nudging her arm in the process, "Thought you'd know all about that from being in the military."

Ahsoka glares at the woman's back, counting down from ten in her head before she makes a snarky comment. Saw smirks as he walks out of the base, obviously amused whilst Lux pauses beside her, "It's okay, Ahsoka; we all know you haven't been on the field in a while."

His pity makes her blood boil. When the clones return to active duty after a long medical absence, there's an unwritten rule that the others will offer support without making them feel like a burden. It usually involves reminding them that their skills are still there, and they're just as valid in the team as they were before their injury.

It's clear Lux has never been in that type of close-knit military family before. He's never been injured before, at least no worse than the occasional skinned knee in his childhood. He's never had to sit on the side-lines like she has.

He has _no_ idea what it's like.

"Would you like to come with us to scout the power generator?" Lux offers, hesitating by the door.

Ahsoka sucks in a breath and squares her shoulders. "My job is to observe you, and that's what I'll do."

Lux smiles- oblivious to her spiteful tone- and gestures out the door, “Be my guest.”

She has to admit, their plan to bring the droid army to a literal standstill by taking down the power grid is quite genius.

It seems like the type of plan Rex or Anakin would come up with, especially because the rebels are relying _completely_ on aggravating the droids enough for them to call reinforcements- it’s a very _Anakin-like_ risk to take.

"A tank is typically not the first line of defence when reinforcements are called," she tries to tell Steela as they prepare for the strike at nightfall, "due to their size and fuel consumption, it's easier to send in the more heavy-duty droids first."

"They'll send a tank," Steela says adamantly, "eventually."

Ahsoka frowns, "How many soldiers are you prepared to lose until the tank shows up?" The woman shoots her a nasty look, making Ahsoka shrug, "It's something you've got to ask yourself."

"I've already told you," Steela says, "I'm willing to die for Onderon."

Ahsoka nods, "What about everyone else? Are Saw and Lux prepared to make the same sacrifice, or are you going to make that choice for them?"

"When the time comes, they'll make that decision themselves."

"Remember the plan," Lux says, stepping in between them, "We attack this patrol, and hopefully they'll call in a tank for backup."

Steela catches Ahsoka's eyes on the word 'hopefully'.

Saw gives the signal for the vehicle rigged with droid poppers to be detonated, and Ahsoka watches the electric pulse wipe out a handful of Super Battle Droids.

The rebels spring out of their cover, already shooting at the droids. Ahsoka has to give them some credit; they aren't shinies anymore- their training has paid off.

"Let's hope they send a tank," Ahsoka says, stepping out of the alleyway once every droid has been taken care of. Immediately after joining the others in the street, her montrals pick up mechanic vibrations, and she spins, "Hear that?"

"They've sent destroyers," Steela says beside her, staring wide-eyed at the droids who activate their shields and start firing at them.

"Move!" Ahsoka shouts, running for better cover.

"Where's Saw and Lux?!" Steela shouts over the blaster fire.

“Hopefully, they’re taking out the destroyers from behind.” Ahsoka grits her teeth, swinging her lightsaber to deflect the bolts. "I'll go and help them."

She skirts the buildings to get around the no man's land. Saw and Lux are hiding out in an alleyway, ready and waiting with their droid poppers. It’s good to see the two men _finally_ working together.

"Nice and slow." She reminds them.

"I know!" Lux bites, his eyes flashing. He rolls the EMP grenade with too much momentum, causing it to nudge the destroyer's shield but not pass through.

"Good work, Bonteri!" Saw exclaims as the destroyer turns to face them. Maybe Ahsoka thought too soon about them getting along.

"You two threw me off!" Lux argues.

Ahsoka ignites her lightsaber, ready to help defend them until they disarm the destroyer, but then there's a sudden flash of red in the corner of her eye, and Lux hits the ground.

_No._

“Lux!” Saw shouts, panicked.

“Argh!” The man screams, curling into a ball. Ahsoka’s lightsaber illuminates the ground, and she sees the obvious tint of scarlet blood.

Lux was shot.

She doesn’t understand. She’s as confused as Anakin is when Padmé’s angry with him.

She’s supposed to be protecting these rebels, and yet she’s rooted in place, unable to _move_ , or _breathe_ , or _think_ whilst Lux is letting out strangled cries, writhing on the ground.

It’s as if her brain short-circuits and needs to be rebooted. Around her, everything’s in fast-forward while she’s motionless in the middle of it all. Saw's screaming at her to get Lux under cover, but all she wants to do is _run_.

Run where? She doesn’t know.

All she knows is that she’s terrified. The fear is wrapping around her like a vine embedded with thorns. It’s carbon monoxide- silent and scentless- suffocating her whilst everyone else is oblivious to her torture.

Then, she realises she’s seen this scene before.

_“Stay down, Ahsoka.” He orders, dropping to his knees beside her. He takes her hand, squeezing it as tight as he can. "It's alright; I'm here now. You're going to be fine."_

There's another shot ringing through the air, and Ahsoka knows it's aimed for her.

Her lightsaber moves without her telling it to, blocking the bolt destined for her heart and deflecting it back to the rooftop. The black figure falls and doesn't get back up.

_"Master..." She says through chattering teeth, "I'm scared..."_

_"I've got you." The reassurance in his voice is forced. "Obi-Wan, snap out of it! Ahsoka needs help!"_

_Snap out of it, snap out of it, snap out of it._

She's in an alleyway, pulling Lux's spasming body behind her, nearly tripping over her prosthetic.

_"You need to stay still, Ahsoka." Anakin says sternly, "Stay still and it won't be so painful."_

She drops to her knees, pulling his hands away from the wound.

It's bleeding bad.

Lux is gasping, choking, spluttering.

_"Deep breaths, there you go." Anakin says even though she's struggling for air, "You're going to be fine, I'm right here."_

"I'm sorry, Lux," she whispers, pressing down on the wound and trying to ignore his scream of agony which makes her montrals ring, "I'm so sorry; it'll be over soon, I promise."

"What happened?" Steela demands, towering over them.

"I need a medkit!" Ahsoka replies, the authority strong in her voice.

"It was a sniper, on the rooftop." Saw- she thinks- says, "Commander Tano took care of it."

“Ahsoka…” Lux gasps, his eyes glassy but wide with fear- the 501st medics call it the look of impending doom. “Am I… will I…”

“You aren’t dying,” she tells him pointedly. “Not on my watch.”

_“Severe blood loss.” There’s a scratch in the inside of her elbow which she tries to pull away from, only for the senior medic to grip her arm tighter, “Prep a defib in case she flatlines.”_

_“I’m going to die; I’m going to die…” She repeats over and over, sobbing until her throat’s raw._

_Anakin’s beside her, attempting to reassure her even though his own voice is shaking, “Don’t say that, Snips; you’re going to be fine. Relax, breathe. It’s all okay.”_

_“Tachycardia_ _,” one medic says, pressing two fingers under the brace on her neck, “use a tourniquet to stem the bleeding.”_

Ahsoka shakes her head firmly, trying to stay in the moment. If she had hair, she would be trying to tear it out with the hope of expelling the resurfacing memories. Lux's life is in her hands right now, and she can't get distracted.

"We got a medkit," Steela drops to one knee beside her, "Saw, secure a perimeter and organise an evac back to base. I’ll establish a clear route-"

"No," Ahsoka growls, her hands shaking as Lux's blood seeps between her fingers. The metallic smell ingrains itself in the air. "You can still take out that power grid, Steela; you've _got_ to complete the mission. I can take care of Lux."

"You and Captain taught us to never leave a soldier behind!” Steela argues.

It's obvious she's never served in the military. Ahsoka remembers the Citadel, desperately wanting to go back for Echo but having a bigger responsibility to get the Nexus Route information back to Coruscant.

"I’m not going to leave him behind, but you have to _go_!" She snaps, losing her patience, "That's an order, Steela!"

The woman doesn't move, and Ahsoka swears to the Force if she doesn't leave, she'll-

"S-Steela..." Lux groans, shifting under Ahsoka. "Go, co-complete the mission."

His head drops back, and the panic in Ahsoka's chest starts to overboil.

"Listen," she turns to Steela, clipping her tone to avoid swearing, "the tank will definitely be on its way now. You need to hijack it and take out the power generator whilst I get Lux back to base. You cannot let your emotions cloud your judgement tonight."

Steela's gaze flickers between her and Lux before she finally climbs to her feet, "Saw, help the Commander get Lux back safely. Dono, let's take out this power grid."

Ahsoka looks back at Lux, closing her eyes and concentrating hard as she whispers," I am one with the Force and the Force is with me. I am one with the Force and the Force is with me. I am one with the Force and the Force is with me."

Slowly, she manages to stem the bleeding, but her healing abilities are far from lifesaving. All she's given Lux is time.

"I need bacta and bandages," she tells Saw, noticing the others have left.

He nods, crouching by her side and digging through the medkit, "Is he going to be alright?"

"He'll be fine," she says, even though she isn't certain. Blaster wounds to the gut are enough to make Coric and Kix wince. "Apply bacta to the soft side of the dressing and then we'll wrap him up. I'll take a closer look when we're back at base."

She leans back to see the rooftop where the sniper was, "Are you sure he's dead?"

"Pretty positive." Saw says, starting to wrap the bacta covered dressing around Lux's middle.

Ahsoka pulls her hands away, wiping the blood onto her skirt. She’s able to think straight now- and breathe, which is nice- but she still can’t shake the resemblance between Hardeen’s attack and this sniper.

"Can you carry him?" She asks Saw, hoping he doesn't ask why. Not only does she only have only one fully working arm, but her entire body is trembling.

She's seen it in her men before, the ones who have survived the gnarliest of explosions or crashes always tend to go a bit shaky after similar events.

It's normal.

“No problem,” Saw’s hand brushes against her thigh as he scoops up Lux, careful not to disturb the bandages around his middle.

She’ll have to call one of the 501st medics before she tries stitching up his internal damage on her own.

"Come on," she says, keeping her lightsaber in her hand but not igniting it, "Hopefully, the droids will be too focused on what Steela's doing to notice us."

"We can go the back way," Saw tells her, taking point.

They walk for a while in silence, both keeping a close eye on their surroundings. They're entirely vulnerable right now, and if a droid patrol stops them, it'll be straight to the palace- or the prison cells.

When they're nearing the base, the lights in the nearby buildings start turning off, signalling that Steela's mission was a success. Ahsoka can't help but smile, knowing the droids won't be able to go too long without re-charging. This should bring a quicker end to the people’s suffering on Onderon.

"What have you got against Steela?"

Saw's question catches her off guard. He keeps walking, not even glancing over his shoulder at her.

"I..." Ahsoka searches for the right words. She doesn't hold any hatred for Steela, but she'd be lying if she said they were the best of friends, "I don't like it when people underestimate me."

"Because you're disabled?" He replies, not skipping a beat.

"Not exactly." She sighs, clipping her lightsaber to her belt as the base comes into view, "I was young when I became a Padawan, and not many people were willing to listen to a teenage girl's military strategies."

"You had to prove yourself." He muses, standing aside whilst she slips in front to open the door.

"Many times." She leads him to the makeshift medbay where he can put Lux down. Thankfully, their base's electricity is powered by a generator, so they don't need candles. "I'm still trying to earn people's respect, especially now."

Once he lays Lux down, she pins Saw with a look, "Your sister doesn't think I'm capable."

He crosses his arms over his chest, smirking. "She doesn't think you're here for the right reasons." When she frowns, he explains, "Steela thinks you came to win little Lux's heart back."

"That couldn't be farther from the truth," Ahsoka tries to tamper down on her growing anger. "I came here because I've spent the last month recovering from life-changing injuries and I need to get used to fieldwork again. Also, if you don't remember, _you_ were the one who asked for the Jedi's help."

He lets out a humourless laugh, stalking towards her slowly, "I don't doubt you came here for the reasons you just stated, Commander, but as I said, Steela believes you care more about Bonteri than our planet."

That's bantha-shit. Ahsoka knows it's better to save one hundred lives and sacrifice one instead of the other way around.

"Well, I'll just have to prove her wrong then," Ahsoka huffs, skirting around Saw before he can get any closer.

She goes to Lux's bedside and snaps on a pair of gloves, "You may want to leave, Gerrera, unless you want to see-"

Her breath hitches in her throat when she feels fingers brushing against her hip, nausea washing over her.

"If things don't work out with Lux, I'll make myself available," Saw murmurs, his voice vibrating against her montral, "Commander Tano."

When she feels a finger on the tip of her lekku, she whirls around.

 _Nobody_ gets to touch her there. Not Anakin, not Master Plo, not Rex, not Lux, and _certainly_ not Saw Gerrera.

There's a sound of skin slapping against skin and Saw staggers back, clutching his cheek with wide eyes.

"Out!" She shouts, one hand resting on her lightsaber threateningly.

Anakin’s always taught her to not take crap from anybody, and in her current state, Ahsoka’s nearing the end of her patience.

She's been yelled at in the street before and been brushed past inappropriately in crowded bars whilst on Jedi business, but _nobody_ has ever violated her so _disgustingly_ by touching her lekku.

Even the 501st medics let Ahsoka tend to the sensitive organs herself whenever they get grazed or bruised.

Saw practically runs out the door, strings of derogatory names for women leaving his mouth as he slams the door behind him.

 _He's gone_ , she tries to tell her heart which is hammering in her chest.

It’s not like she couldn’t stop him if he pushed any further, but the thought of Saw putting her in a vulnerable position made her feel dizzy with fear. It’s like back on Zygerria when Atai Molec teased that the Queen would be gifting her to him as a pleasure slave.

"Wha… he do?" She turns back to Lux, blinking tired eyes at her.

"He-" she cuts herself off, noticing the lump in her throat. She swallows, "Nothing. Save your strength, Lux."

Lux doesn't look like he believes her, but he doesn't argue, just rests his head against the pillow once more. Ahsoka almost reaches out to brush a hand over his forehead like she'd do to an injured trooper, but she holds herself back.

"Sorry, this isn't going to be comfortable," she says, opening the bigger medkit which is kept at the base. “I’m no Healer.”

* * *

Coric isn’t expecting a call from Commander Tano at 2300.

He knows Rex and the Generals have left her on Onderon to observe the rebels, but that was only a few hours ago.

Surely, she can’t have got herself into _too_ much trouble in less than five hours.

Then again, it’s Ahsoka.

He sighs in relief when she tells him that Lux Bonteri is injured and not her. His worry heightens a little when she shows him the Senator’s stomach wound, and he wishes Rex were there because the Captain _religiously_ attends First Aid training sessions whereas Ahsoka prefers to spend her free time socialising in the mess.

He walks her through the steps of sewing the young man’s gut back together with the meagre supplies she has. In his professional opinion, Bonteri needs a Doctor, not a Jedi Padawan with one working arm and minimal medical training, but Ahsoka follows his instructions like a trance.

She’s maybe being a bit _too_ obedient, judging by her lack of snarky comments, but he blames that on the shock of the sniper attack.

 _“He’s practically guaranteed to get an infection, isn’t he_?” She says, tying off the fresh bandages.

Her tired tone is unsettling.

“If the wound is cleaned twice a day and he sticks to the anti-biotics, he should be fine.” He tries to ease the tension, “Sepsis symptoms will start showing in three to five days, and you should be gone by then, so it won’t be your problem.”

She doesn’t laugh or even crack a grin, just rubs a hand down her face, _“Not helping, Coric.”_

He sobers immediately, “Apologies, Commander.”

 _“It’s fine,”_ he doesn’t think it is, _“I’ve just had a long day.”_

“Don’t overwork yourself, sir.” He says, knowing what she and Skywalker are like.

Her smile is forced, _“I won’t. Goodnight, Sergeant; thanks for your help.”_

She’s enthusiastic to end the call- also not like her. Coric’s a medic though, and he knows that trauma can affect people in different ways; he just hopes Ahsoka will be able to cope without her Masters and Captain.

* * *

 _“My Master was not impressed to hear that the assassination attempt against Commander Tano was a failure, your Highness.”_ Dooku says, his hologram flickering due to the old generator they need to use now the power’s out.

“Taking down one Jedi will not stop the rebels.” King Rash says, angrily biting into a joganberry.

 _“No, but it will threaten them_.” The Count says, _“The one named Bonteri has a history with Tano, and her death would’ve left him terribly distraught. That’s not the reason I asked you to kill her though, Sanjay.”_

Rash leans forwards, “Then _why_ , Count?”

_“I thought I killed Tano once, and she survived. I won’t disappoint my Master again.”_

“What are you suggesting?” The King asks, “We can’t just hire dozens of snipers to try to kill her.”

 _“You won’t.”_ The Count smiles sadistically, _“I’ll come and take care of the situation myself.”_

* * *

"I'm just concerned," Ahsoka admits to her Masters, hugging her knees. "What if it was Hardeen and he wants revenge on the Jedi for outsmarting him?"

 _"You're paranoid, Ahsoka,"_ Obi-Wan tells her. _"Hardeen is being kept in a completely secure facility. Even if he did get out of prison, he would be terrorising the Underworld of Coruscant, not a band of rebels on Onderon."_

 _"It wasn't him, Snips,"_ somehow, Anakin's reassurance seems stronger. _"Hardeen was... taken care of."_

She straightens in surprise. It's no secret that Anakin can be a bit merciless when it comes to killing criminals, but killing Rako Hardeen whilst he was _in prison_?

This is news to Obi-Wan as well as he turns to Anakin, _"Even when I told you not to?"_

 _"I did what I had to do."_ Anakin says, unapologetic. _"It was probably just a commando sniper, Snips. You said you destroyed it, and Lux is fine, so no harm done."_

"I guess," she murmurs, resting her chin on her knees once more.

 _"I'm afraid I have other business to attend to, young one."_ Obi-Wan says, stepping aside, _"I look forward to your next report."_

"Goodnight, Master Kenobi." She rubs her eyes, noticing that Anakin stays on the line.

 _"Are you alright, Ahsoka?"_ He asks, concern seeping through his tone.

Tensing, she forces a smile, "Why wouldn't I be?"

 _"Seeing Lux get shot by a sniper, it couldn't have been good for you,"_ her Master says, _"Trauma tends to linger and rear its ugly head when you get put in certain situations."_

She nods, grateful he isn't probing about the incident with Saw. She keeps her mental shields tightly up, just in case. "I'm fine, Master."

Although he doesn't seem convinced, Anakin doesn't pester, _"I'm sure you are, Snips. Just remember, I'm here for you if you need me. I know how it feels to get stuck following your heart instead of your head.”_

“I know.” She licks her lips, "Thank you, Master."

 _"Take it easy, Ahsoka."_ With that, Anakin's figure fizzles out, leaving Ahsoka in darkness.

The door behind her opens, light creeping inside the room. Ahsoka doesn’t turn around, “What is it, Steela?”

“Lux is waking up,” the woman tells her from the threshold.

“Good.” Ahsoka eases the tension out of her shoulders.

“We’re going to celebrate our victory; would you like to join us?”

Ahsoka finally looks over her shoulder, scans Steela’s face to see she’s genuine. She doesn’t feel like partying right now, especially if that involves being near Saw, “Thanks, but I’ll pass.”

“Are you sure?” Steela almost sounds disappointed.

“Positive.” Ahsoka replies, turning back around. “Enjoy the celebrations.”

Silence follows, and she knows Steela hasn’t left because the door’s still open.

“Ahsoka?”

She half-turns, not expecting to see Steela only a few feet away from her, “Yes?”

“Lux owes you his life,” She gives Ahsoka a small smile, “I see now why he respects you so much.”

It’s as if her value _wholly_ relies on Lux’s respect for her.

Ahsoka presses her lips together, not wanting to cause any more arguments tonight. “Thanks, Steela.” She stands up, “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to retire.”


	21. Chapter 21

"Stay still," Ahsoka says, holding Lux down as she cleans the wound across his stomach, "I'm nearly done."

"I need to speak to King Dendup," he protests, wincing as she wipes the healing wound with a wet rag. Their bacta supplies are running low, so she has to make do.

"He won't go anywhere." If the King leaves their base, he'll be dead within minutes. Dendup isn't safe just because the rebels and Ahsoka rescued him from being executed.

She gets out a fresh roll of bandages and starts wrapping it around his middle- her paralysed hand making it difficult. Lux puts a hand on her shoulder to steady himself, his fingers brushing against her lekku.

"Sorry," he shifts his hand when she tenses up, "You don't like that, do you?"

"No," she exhales, pushing away the memory of Saw touching her lekku a few nights ago. "It's a Togruta thing."

She finishes dressing his wound in silence. The scars from Zygerria are still healing, and no matter how much the 501st and Anakin respect her, she’ll always know how people see Togrutas across the galaxy.

"Steela said you helped save the King and General Tandin.” Lux says several minutes later, pulling down his shirt once she’s finished, “I knew you couldn't resist a good fight, Ahsoka."

It was _hardly_ a fight- more like a scuffle, but the chevrons on her lekku still darken. "Am I becoming that predictable?"

"Only to Lux."

She spins at the voice of Saw behind her, sees him leaning against the doorway. There's a purple stain on his cheekbone, courtesy of when he overstepped his boundaries and Ahsoka's palm collided with his face.

She could've damaged him worse, but then somebody would've noticed.

"King Dendup wants to speak to you, Bonteri.”

"Have I been discharged?" Lux asks hopefully.

"For now," she replies, intending to follow Lux out of the room.

Saw blocks her exit, taking up the entire door frame with his stature. Ahsoka takes a deep breath and tries to control herself before she throws him out of the way with the Force, "Can I help you, Gerrera?"

He grins like a cocky bastard, "Actually, you can."

"I was being sarcastic," she crosses her arms over her chest, "Now, _move_."

He steps aside, finally letting her pass. She's always been good at subtle Force-suggestions.

"I got electrocuted when General Kalani tried to get information out of me," he calls after her, "I should probably get checked out."

"I'm not a Doctor," she replies, not turning around, "If you're breathing and talking, then you're fine."

She heads towards the common area, wanting to get away from Saw and stay with the others. Anakin and Obi-Wan basically said the Council wasn't going to assist their rebellion against King Rash, so she needs to make sure Steela has a strategy or else the rebels will perish.

"Steela!" She calls, getting the woman's attention.

"Commander Tano," Steela turns to her, "Have we won the Jedi's support?"

Ahsoka hesitates, "Unfortunately not; I'll be the only Jedi fighting this battle."

Steela puts a hand on her shoulder- a gesture of respect following her efforts to save Dendup from being executed. "Then we will win."

Seeing Hondo is almost a relief, especially when the pirate reveals that Anakin ordered them the best weapons on the market. Ahsoka wonders how the Council will react to hearing that their most famous Knight has been smuggling rocket launchers illegally, but right now, she's just grateful for the extra firepower.

"My, my, what happened to you, lovely Ahsoka?" Hondo asks, scanning Skipper. "Skywalker did not say you were missing a piece."

"I'm not," she says through gritted teeth. "Thanks for the weapons, Hondo, but feel free to leave now."

"I have one more thing for you," Hondo turns to his ship, and Ahsoka's eyes land on a soldier coming down the steps, decked in blue and white.

"Rex!" A grin splits her face as she runs forward to greet her Captain, "Did Anakin send you?"

"I couldn't exactly have come of my own free will, Commander," he comes down the final step and salutes- probably smiling beneath his helmet. "The General sends his regards."

She offers her own salute, "I hope you've got your battle boots on, Rexster."

"Always, sir."

"Good," she picks up a rocket launcher and presents it to her Captain, "this is going to be one hell of a fight."

* * *

When Rex met the Onderon rebels a week ago, he didn't think they had what it took to be soldiers.

He has high expectations for his own men, from the freshest shinies to the most battle-hardened veterans, but the rebels aren't cloned soldiers. They're humans with families and childhoods, people with dreams of freedom.

They don't want to fight, but they have to.

And they're fighting like the 501st today.

Steela Gerrera is a natural leader, and Rex wholeheartedly agrees with King Dendup's decision to make her the General.

He's glad to see Ahsoka’s finally getting along with the rebel woman. He doubts they see each other as sisters, but they seem to be working together a lot better now.

The biggest change he's seen has been within his commanding officer. Ahsoka shows Skipper off with pride, not letting the prosthetic hinder any of her movements. She's getting good with the double-ended lightsaber too.

When he asks if she's been doing her physiotherapy, she gives him a sharp look, "If you haven't noticed, Rex, this planet has become a warzone."

He smirks back at her, the pair lingering behind Steela and Lux due to their orders to 'not get involved', "I'll let you break that news to Kix and Healer Che."

"Did you come to fight or gossip, Captain?" Lux shouts over the sound of blaster fire.

"My orders were to backup Commander Tano, Bonteri," Rex responds coolly, "Right now, she doesn't need backing up."

"Does Anakin think I'm not capable?" Ahsoka asks, teasing.

"He wouldn't have left you here if he didn't think you could handle it," Rex checks his blasters again, prepared to start firing as soon as Ahsoka gives the word.

 _"Steela, they're attacking the nest!"_ A rebel woman shouts through Steela's commlink, _"They're after the King!"_

"Come on!" Steela orders, already running to a ruping and mounting it.

"She sure leads by example," Ahsoka mutters, low enough for only Rex to hear.

"What good will that do us if she gets herself killed?" Rex replies.

He joins Ahsoka and Lux on another ruping, his stomach twisting when they soar upwards. It reminds Rex of the creatures they flew whilst on Zygerria.

When they land on the clifftop, Ahsoka ignites her lightsaber. It's the unspoken signal for Rex to unholster his blasters and finally get involved in the battle. Since the 501st have been grounded for so long, it's nice to get some target practice in.

He and Ahsoka take down the B1s with ease, letting Steela focus on the commando droids. After all, they can't make it _too_ easy for the rebels.

"Just like old times, Rex," Ahsoka smirks, back-to-back with him as she defends his blind spot with her lightsaber.

He spins, taking down the final droid before it fires towards his Commander, "I'm still cleaning up after you."

She snorts, "I left that one on purpose."

It's the type of excuse she would've given at the start of her Apprenticeship, and Rex chuckles as he activates his HUD, seeing if Steela needs any help. According to his rangefinder, both commando droids have been destroyed.

"You trained them well," Ahsoka says, putting her lightsaber on her belt as they walk to the cliff edge where Lux is.

" _We_ trained them well," he corrects her.

The Togruta suddenly halts, her eyes widening, and Rex is immediately on edge before he even asks what's wrong. He's seen that look in his General's eyes too many times, and it can mean one of two things.

Either someone across the galaxy just died, or they're about to be blown to bits.

He prays it's not the latter.

* * *

She jumps towards Rex moments before the gunship crashes, sending them flying in a cloud of dust and debris. She keeps a tight grip on his middle and Rex wraps his limbs around her, trying to protect her exposed skin from shrapnel with his plastoid armour.

They roll to a stop, Rex's back hitting the ground first, the wind getting knocked out of him.

"Are you alright?" She asks, wiping the film of dust from his visor with her vambrace, "Rex, talk to me."

"I'm fine," he responds, sounding a little dazed, "Ahsoka, you're..." he grunts painfully, "move your knee, please."

She glances down at the dust clears, seeing that her metal knee is jabbing him right in the codpiece.

"Kriff, sorry," she rolls off him, standing up and offering a hand, "I'm still trying to get used to Skipper."

"Steela!"

They both spin at the sound of Lux's voice behind the crashed gunship- he sounds panicked.

"Let's go!" Rex runs forwards to start climbing the wreckage.

"No time," Ahsoka puts an arm around his middle, bends her knees and jumps.

They vault over the gunship with ease, landing on the other side where the edge of the cliff has crumbled, leaving Steela hanging on by her fingertips. Lux is leaning over the edge, his body sliding too far forwards.

She sticks out a hand before he falls, catching him in mid-air.

"Protect the King," she tells Rex, "I'll handle this."

Rex is hesitant, but he does as she says, running back to protect Dendup. Ahsoka exhales slowly, stepping forwards and watching her every step as she lifts Lux away from the edge. It must be a three or four hundred drop to the ground, and that's a fall only a Jedi could survive.

She lays Lux down on the ground before rushing forwards to help Steela. A human's grip is only so strong.

Ahsoka focuses by closing her eyes, outstretching both hands and utilising the Force. She quietens her mind, concentrating completely on the invisible chain between her hands and the rebel woman hanging onto the cliff with her life.

"I've got you," she reassures Steela as she lifts her into the air.

Steela's only a few inches away from grabbing her hand. They're so close, and Ahsoka can swear their fingers touch for the minutest of moments.

Then, she hears a noise behind her.

Something punches her left shoulder, and every sensation in her arm flickers away before Ahsoka can even register she's been hit.

Her eyes snap open as pain jolts through her.

There's a scream from beneath her, the sound of air getting forced out of someone's lungs.

_Steela!_

There's a horrible image in her mind amongst the pain and shock. Steela on the ground, motionless in Saw's arms. Lux stroking her cheek, murmuring that she knew the risks. The city on Onderon in mourning, Ahsoka trembling with Anakin's arm around her on the way back to the Temple, sobbing about how she could've saved her.

She isn't going to let anybody down today, especially not Steela. Even after everything the drama and the name-calling, Ahsoka can't allow this to happen.

Not to her.

Ignoring the fire burning across her left shoulder, Ahsoka jumps from the crumbling cliffside.

"Ahsoka!" Rex screams behind her, and she wonders if he'll dive after her.

Probably not. Rex knows he wouldn't survive the fall.

Does Steela know she won't survive unless Ahsoka can catch up with her and soften the landing with the Force?

She propels herself downwards, becoming as streamline as possible. Steela's several metres ahead of her, watching Ahsoka with wide eyes that remind her all too much of the way she looked up at Obi-Wan on Naboo.

Just a few more inches, and she'll be able to grab Steela's boot. It's not ideal to catch someone with their foot, but it'll have to do. They don't exactly have many options right now.

It's do or die.

Her fingers brush against Steela's boot, and she grabs on tightly, jerking the woman up above her head so Ahsoka will land first.

Her feet hit the floor, Ahsoka bends her knees to absorb the impact before Steela's body comes crashing down on top of her, a sharp crack going through her skull which makes her go cross-eyed briefly.

She isn’t sure how long the darkness lasts- it could be seconds or years.

Someone drags her into a sitting position, and she feels plastoid against her cheek. _Rex_. Her Captain bellows out orders that she can't hear over the ringing in her montrals.

"Commander, answer me!" She feels a gloved hand tapping her cheek, making her brain rattle.

"Kriff off, Rex," she groans, her stomach twisting with just enough warning for her to lean over and be sick on the ground.

Rex keeps one hand on her shoulder, "Bonteri, I need a canteen and a blanket!"

"No... I’m fine..." She slurs, trying to look more alert even though she feels like death thrown up. "Where... Steela..."

"Udesii, vod; don't panic," Rex says, his voice soft as if he's talking to a shiny. She leans into his chest, feeling utterly exhausted as the sun beats down on them.

"Where's-"

"Steela's fine, "Rex cuts her off, "I've got eyes on her."

She huffs, seeing Lux running towards them. "I can’t feel my arm."

"Huh?"

"My arm," she flits her gaze to the unmoving limb, "I'd like to see Kix fix that with physiotherapy."

Lux drops to one knee, "I got what you asked for, Captain."

"I'll just take the water," she cuts in, trying to sit upright without Rex's support even though it feels like all her bones are made of lead and jelly at the same time.

"Small sips," the Captain says, passing her the canteen. Ahsoka grunts in acknowledgement, swallowing small mouthfuls of lukewarm water which is tainted with the bitterness of the purification tablets.

“Kriffing idiot.” Rex murmurs as he shifts, crouching behind her so she can lean against him.

“Hey!” She shouts tiredly.

“That was the stupidest thing I’ve seen you do in a _long_ time.”

“Nobody died.” She mutters, resting her head back onto his knee. She feels like there’s bass playing in her skull, so loud that she can hardly think.

Rex scoffs quietly, “Not the point, Soka.”  
  
“Ahsoka,” she looks up at Steela who’s stood in front of her. Saw’s beside her, letting his sister lean against him for support.

“Steela,” Ahsoka gets up, brushing Rex away when he tries to help her. She’s shaky but stable enough to stand on her own. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Steela says, even though she’s pale and trembling, “You saved my life.”

“It was nothing,” she says quickly, going to put her hands on her hips and trying not to flinch when her left arm just remains limp at her side. “Saw, how’s the battle looking?”

“The droids are in full-retreat.” He says, grinning, “We’ve won this thing.”

The rebels cheer, and Lux gives Steela a side-hug in victory. Ahsoka takes a deep breath. Rex is applying a bacta patch to the wound on her shoulder, his voice low against her montral, “Is this over, Commander?”

“I don’t think so,” she glances at him, “The Separatists rarely surrender so quickly. We ought to stay on high alert.”

“Agreed.”

The rebels migrate back to Iziz where celebrations are already underway. The droid forces have cleared out, and the citizens have started parties in the streets, welcoming the rebels back as heroes.

Ahsoka and Rex are the only ones hesitant to join the celebrations.

“Why do you two look so serious?” Saw questions them, “Onderon’s ours again.”

“There have been no agreements of surrender,” Rex explains, “Technically, Iziz is still an active warzone under CIS control.”

“We could charge the palace,” Ahsoka suggests, “Force King Rash and his Separatist pawns out of hiding and demand surrender.” She pins Saw with a look, “Rex and I can only leave once Onderon is declared a Republic state.”

“Which means Kind Dendup will have to be restored as the rightful ruler,” Rex finishes.

At least Obi-Wan’s been able to teach them _something_ about politics.

Rex glances at her, “Do you feel up to it, Ahsoka? There could be another battle waiting for us behind those doors. We might be walking straight into a trap.”

“It’s nothing we haven’t done before, Rexster.” She grins, looking back at Saw, “Gather the remaining troops. We’ll storm the palace tonight and end this once and for all.”

When they get back to the base, there’s a holo message from Count Dooku waiting for them.

* * *

 _“I am not willing to let go of Onderon without a good fight,”_ Anakin scowls at Count Dooku’s hologram recording, _“If a single rebel can defeat me, then I shall leave. If I win, then Onderon shall remain under Separatist control and all the rebels will be executed for their crimes against King Rash and the people of Onderon.”_

“This was broadcasted across the galaxy?” He asks Obi-Wan quietly as the other Jedi in the meeting room start to murmur.

During her report, Ahsoka revealed that the droid forces were in retreat, but she was sceptical about the battle being over. Nobody expected Dooku to become so involved.

It’s almost like this matter is _personal_ to him.

“Dooku definitely wanted to be heard.” Obi-Wan sighs, “This isn’t about Onderon anymore.”

“What do you think he wants then?”

Obi-Wan strokes his beard, “Siths are mostly driven by revenge and spite. Dooku knows about Ahsoka’s involvement with the rebels. She’ll be the only way who can fight him with a chance of winning. I think he wants our Padawan _gone_.”

Anakin takes a deep breath to stop his fists from clenching, raising his voice to be heard throughout the room, “I volunteer to fight Dooku on Onderon.”

 _“He said he wants to fight a rebel, not a Jedi Knight,”_ Ahsoka says from her hologram, _“If external support shows up, he may flee the system. The rebels don’t have control over the atmosphere yet. There could be an armed starship waiting for you the second you jump out of hyperspace.”_

“Are you suggesting you’ll be taking on the Sith Lord yourself, Tano?” Windu sneers from beside Master Yoda. “You barely survived your last encounter with Dooku.”

She smirks through the hologram, _“Who said I’d be taking him on myself?”_

Anakin frowns as the room erupts into debate again, some arguing that Ahsoka should fight Dooku whilst others want to abandon Onderon altogether. He moves to stand closer to Ahsoka’s hologram, “What’s your plan, Snips?”

She gives him a sheepish smile, _“We’re going to take one of Master Kenobi’s approaches to this.”_

“This isn’t a game, Ahsoka.” He can’t believe she’s making jokes about facing one of the deadliest Sith Lords in the galaxy whilst she’s still adjusting to a prosthetic leg and her arm is now completely paralysed.

“No offence, but I don’t think Dooku will be up for negotiating with you.”

 _“I won’t be negotiating,”_ she says, a glint in her eye. _“I have to go, Master. Please, trust me on this and tell the Council to not interfere.”_

He trusts Ahsoka with his life, but he doesn’t trust Dooku to fight fair- Siths rarely do. He’s worried she’ll be caught off guard and killed. Then again, what other choice do they have? They’ve come too far with Onderon to let it slip into Separatist hands, and he _does_ believe in Ahsoka.

“I don’t like this, but I know we don’t have any choice.” He points a finger at her, “You _better_ come back in one piece, young lady.”

 _“Don’t worry, Anakin,”_ she laughs, _“just have a little faith in me.”_

He sighs, knowing there’s no way he can stop her, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, Snips.”

* * *

“You don’t have a plan, do you?” Rex asks as soon as she turns off her commlink.

“Oh, I have a plan,” she replies, swivelling around to face him, “I just don’t think you’re going to like it.”

He rolls his eyes, “You sound more like the General every day.”

“He _is_ my Master,” she teases, walking to his side. “I can’t believe you hold such little trust in me, Rex.”

“You’re impulsive,” he says, holding the door open for her, “In your current state, I think you should leave Dooku to someone like Skywalker or Kenobi.”

Ahsoka tries not to let it show how deeply his comment offends her. Sure, she’s not her Masters, but she’s still a good Jedi only a few months away from becoming a Knight.

“Well, Anakin and Obi-Wan aren’t here right now, so you’re stuck with me.” She pins him with a glare as they walk, “Is that going to be a problem, Captain?”

She can tell he’s tempted to dress her down like a shiny by the way he presses his lips together, but he decides against it, “No, sir.”

“Good.” They step into the common area of the rebel base where they’ve relocated. Saw and Lux are stood in the centre, talking to the King whilst Steela sits, still shaken from falling four hundred metres off a cliff.

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing, Ahsoka?” Lux asks once he sees her.

“Not really.” She grins, probably feeling more relaxed about this due to the extensive amount of whiskey she drank to stop her knees from shaking. “Did you find one?”

“Is this what you wanted?” He holds out the small ball.

“Yes,” she takes the minuscule device and holds it up for Rex to see.

“A vital suppressor?” He exclaims, “I’m going to start calling you Skywalker.”

“This is one of Obi-Wan’s ideas, actually,” she grins, tucking the ball into a pouch on her belt. “Steela, let’s go.”

Rex grabs her paralysed arm, “Where are you going?”

She smirks, “We’re going to have a drink with King Rash, of course.”


	22. Chapter 22

Ahsoka moves through the crowd of unsettled civilians, catching snippets of shock and confusion.

"They found the King lying in the gutter!"

"He was as cold as stone."

"Who killed him?"

"He probably heard about the rebels' recent victories and decided to end everything before the Republic can arrest him."

Ahsoka smirks- their plan has worked. The news has spread like wildfire.

Manipulating Rash was easier than she thought, and after a few drinks, he was completely willing to swallow the vital suppressor that Ahsoka gave him in the bar. He was too _kriff-faced_ to notice that Steela and Ahsoka were tossing their drinks away whilst he got drunker and drunker.

"I don't know why we couldn't have just actually killed him," Steela whispers as they look over Rash's sleeping body inside the base.

"Because killing a monarch is _not_ something that rebels want to be responsible for, no matter how corrupt the government is." Ahsoka explains, "Rash can pay for his crimes in front of a Republic court- not through death."

She looks up at Rex, "Let's cuff him in case he wakes up."

The Captain hesitates, "Seducing, intoxicating and feeding a vital suppressor to the King of Onderon has to be one of your more _reckless_ ideas, Commander."

"Maybe, but if the Separatists want to play dirty, then we have to too." She glances over her Captain's shoulder, "What did you report, Saw?"

"Everyone in Iziz has heard about King Rash's death." Saw announces, glaring at Rash's sleeping form, "If we don't strike now, Dooku will flee."

"Then it's time." Steela turns to Ahsoka, "Are you sure you want to do this in your current state?"

"I can fight Dooku." Ahsoka says, annoyed there's so much doubt in her. She pauses, looking around the cluster of rebels, "Should something go drastically wrong, Rex will get you all off Onderon, including King Dendup. The Republic will grant you amnesty, and they'll send aid."

"Why would they send aid when they haven't done anything to help us so far?" Saw questions.

"Because" Rex's tone is brittle, "the Jedi Council and GAR won't let it pass if Dooku kills a Jedi Commander on Onderon soil."

Ahsoka nods.

"On that note, good luck." Steela says, smacking her bruised shoulder.

Ahsoka winces inwardly. Her left arm is completely paralysed, but the rebels don't need to know that.

Lux grabs her functioning arm as she tries to leave, lowering his voice, "Do you expect to walk away from this, Ahsoka?"

She hopes her smile doesn't look forced, "I'll be fine, Lux."

The droids part for the Padawan as she walks inside the palace. It's intimidating, knowing she's about to fight a Sith Lord who took her Master's arm off. Ahsoka's not exactly in the best state to fight, but they don't have another choice.

She comes to a stop in the throne room, seeing Dooku has taken up residency on the throne.

"Padawan Tano, welcome to the palace." He says with a smirk. "I'm sure you've heard about King Rash's dreadful accident."

"It's a real shame." Ahsoka says, keeping her voice level and calm. If Dooku knows she's scared, he'll prey on that.

"I have no doubt the rebels were involved in the homicide."

"We were not responsible for the King's death." She replies evenly, "Although, now the ruler of Onderon is dead, the position of leadership falls to the Senator until a new heir is crowned."

Dooku stares at her for a few seconds before chuckling, "And who is the Senator of Onderon?"

"Lux Bonteri."

The Sith Lord stands from the throne and walks down the steps, making Ahsoka tense. Her hand twitches beside her lightsaber.

"And _why_ is Mr Bonteri not here right now, Lady Tano?" He says, stopping a short distance away from them.

Because she doesn't want Lux in the same room as this Sith Lord who was responsible for his mother's death.

Behind them, Ahsoka hears blaster fire ring out- the distinguishable blasts of Rex's DC-17s and Steela's rifle.

"Lux is otherwise occupied." She says coolly.

"I see." Dooku raises a brow, "Your rebel friends are making quick work of my droids whilst we stall our inevitable battle, I assume."

"I would've been stupid to have come alone." Ahsoka says, not liking the way Dooku is standing so still, he's calculating something.

"Then it appears I am surrounded." Dooku taps his fingertips together, "What to do now?"

She's over this.

Ahsoka activates her lightsaber, getting into a threatening stance. "I'll give you two options, Count: leave Onderon, or die."

"I think it'll break Skywalker and Kenobi for their Padawan to return to Coruscant in a body bag." Dooku mirrors her stance with his own ignited lightsaber.

Ahsoka grits her teeth, "You're cocky."

He scoffs, "Don't forget, young one. I _killed_ you on Naboo."

Her commlink crackles with Rex's panicked tone, _"Ahsoka, two commandos took Lux! He handed himself over to them!"_

Dooku grins, "The Senator can't rule Onderon if he's dead."

A fire ignites in her heart, and Ahsoka leaps towards the Sith, lightsaber raised.

If Rex is smart- which he is- then he'll get the rest of the rebels out of the palace and let her rescue Lux.

Initially, Steela and Saw wanted to join her fight against Dooku. Ahsoka weighed the risks, and knew she had the be the one to take the Sith on.

If the Separatist occupation on Onderon ends, who will the people look up to if all the rebels are dead?

Their blades are like fire and ice- two extremes working to eliminate each other. Whenever one takes the upper hand, there's a sizzling sound as the sweat rolls off their forehead to evaporate against the blade. Every minute or so, Ahsoka has to wipe the moisture off her forehead before it can drip in her eyes.

 _You can't afford distractions in a fight_ , Anakin's voice echoes in her head.

Beyond their grunts and the swooshes of super-heated plasma cutting through the air, their fight is silent. With both fighters constantly thinking about their next move, there's no time for exchanging petty insults.

 _Don't bark if you can't bite_ , Fives once said to her during a spar. It doesn’t look good to throw an insult at your opponent and then get a tooth knocked out.

She may have learnt how to cope with Skipper, but the paralysed arm is a huge hindrance, and she's also tiring quicker than normal. On Naboo, she and Anakin trained all day long, but fighting Dooku is both mentally and physically exhausting.

When she shoves Dooku across the throne room with a powerful throw, Ahsoka catches her breath instead of instantly pouncing on him.

He may be old, but Dooku is unpredictable.

"My Lord."

Both of them spin to the entrance where two commando droids enter, dragging a bruised and bloody Lux Bonteri between them.

Ahsoka feels her heart skip a beat.

"I'm sorry, Ahsoka..." Lux whispers, his head hanging low and blood dripping steadily off his chin, "I couldn't leave without... he killed her... my mother..."

"Mr Bonteri." Dooku stands, brushing off his robes, "How pleasant of you to join us."

Ahsoka lifts her lightsaber and points it at Dooku's throat, "Release him."

The Count chuckles- unfazed. He’s _so_ arrogant, it makes her angry.

Ahsoka's lifted off her feet, an invisible grip around her throat- impossibly tight. Her lightsaber drops to the ground with a clatter, the green blades flickering off.

Lux squirms in the commando guards' grip, "Please, don't hurt her!"

Dooku smirks, "I'll let her go as soon as you surrender."

Ahsoka can't get enough breath to form words, but she tries to scream, tries to get Lux thinking straight.

He _can't_ surrender.

They’ve fought too hard for Onderon. Giving up now could cost the rebels everything- including their lives.

Lux has no idea what’s at risk.

He swallows, both of his eyes bruised and one swollen shut, "Alright, Dooku."

"No-" she manages to shout, black spots clouding her vision.

"Good choice, Senator."

She's dropped to the ground like a rag doll, landing painfully on her knees with only one working arm to catch herself with. She slams her fist against her chest, begging for enough oxygen to be able to fight.

She staggers to her feet, clutching onto the throne and outstretching a hand to push Lux away-

"You were destined for the same fate as your mother, Mr Bonteri."

Before Ahsoka can step forwards, Dooku's lightsaber is ignited.

Lux's eyes widen as the red blade goes through his chest.

_No!_

Ahsoka lurches forwards, blasting a Force-push at Dooku to send him flying into the back wall of the throne room. Lux falls into her waiting arms. Her flesh knee hits the ground with a hard thump which she ignores.

"Ahsoka- _Ahsoka_!" Lux gasps, panicking.

"Hey, look at me," she urges softly, pulling him onto her lap, "It's alright, Lux, just breathe."

It's not alright.

He grabs her shoulder, nails digging into her flesh, "You've got to- you... please-"

"I'll make sure Onderon gets its freedom." She promises, purposefully not looking at the scorched hole in his chest. She has the same scar on her own skin- caused by the same lightsaber.

If only the Force could still talk to her like it used to. Since the Daughter revived her, the Force-user has practically gone silent.

"Lux," his frantic eyes snap to hers, and words fail her, "I..."

" _Don't_... Don't say it, Ah-Ahsoka," he begs, gasping for breath, "don't say it if you don't mean it."

"I'm sorry." Her voice cracks, "I'm sorry we never got the chance.”

She shouldn't have been so caught up on her Jedi ideals. Maybe, if things were different, she and Lux could’ve been something more.

His shaking hand rests on her cheek, fingers wiping away the tears she doesn't know are falling. "You were the first girl I- _argh_ -" he cries in pain. "The first girl I loved."

She can't say the l-word back, no matter how much she wants to.

"Tell Steela... _please_ ," Lux's body gets heavier, and with only one functioning arm, she struggles to hold him up. "Tell her that I…"

"I will." She promises as his eyes close.

A lightsaber hums above her head, swinging downwards.

This is _all_ Dooku's fault.

 _He's_ the one who plotted to kidnap the Chancellor, forcing the Council to take action and hire Hardeen.

He killed Lux Bonteri- the one man who _really_ wanted the best for this planet.

Dooku's a monster, and he needs to be stopped.

Ahsoka rolls backwards, abandoning Lux's body to ignite her lightsaber and defend herself from Dooku's first strike. She used to use two hands to hold off Anakin's attacks during sparring, and Dooku is stronger, so only having one arm is putting her at a serious disadvantage.

Thankfully, she's got a strong leg.

She kicks him backwards, discreetly leading the fight away from Lux so she can retrieve his body later. He deserves a funeral to be mourned out.

He deserved _so_ much more than this, but Dooku killed him without a moment’s hesitation. It was a merciless death.

Lux was unarmed. Rebel or not, he shouldn’t have been killed. He’s not _Ahsoka_ or _Anakin_ or Rex- he didn’t deserve to die in battle.

_Take your revenge, young one._

She halts momentarily. The voice is dark, looming. So familiar yet so foreign. It’s not the light angelic voice which used to guide her.

_Take your revenge, young one!_

She feels so _angry_.

_Kill him, young one!_

The pressure on her skull is painful, and she lashes out against her better judgement, swinging for the Sith who took Lux away from her.

"You'll pay for what you did!" Ahsoka snarls, sweat beading on her forehead as she and Dooku clash blades again.

The Sith chuckles, "A cripple is going to seek revenge for her lover's death? _Very_ Jedi-like, Padawan Tano."

_You are no Jedi, young one._

She growls, swinging her lightsaber furiously.

Dooku flips backwards, outstretching a hand.

Before the blue bolts of electricity can engulf her, Ahsoka raises her lightsaber, blocking the Force-lightening.

She's not strong enough to hold his attack off, and the moment her blade lowers from the sheer weight of the lightening, Ahsoka feels it hit her.

Her back arches as electricity starts to course through her, straight from his fingertips. Her thoughts scramble as the Force-lightening engulfs her, spreading to every nerve- even the ones in her paralysed hand. It brings Ahsoka to her knees, unable to think or breathe.

After what feels like hours- but realistically only a few seconds- the pain stops.

Ahsoka collapses onto her hands and knees, dry heaving whilst her montrals ring. She doesn't know where her lightsaber is, but she can worry about that after she gets her breath back.

"You fight like Skywalker," Dooku says, watching her.

She spits onto the ground, the metallic taste in her mouth and blood on the floor a sign that she bit her tongue when she was shocked.

"Thanks for the compliment."

He chuckles, walking towards her with his lightsaber hovering near his side, "I dismembered Skywalker during the First Battle of Geonosis. I wonder how he would feel if I did the same to his Padawan."

She nearly rolls her eyes. He'd be doing her a favour by chopping off her paralysed arm.

_Stand, young one, and feed off the darkness within you._

Despite her condition, Ahsoka manages to stand, favouring Skipper over her flesh leg because the prosthetic shakes less.

She lifts her lightsaber into an opening position, "I'll let you cut off my arm if you win, Dooku."

"Sounds fair." He mirrors her stance, "You forget that I'm part of your lineage, young one. You ought to respect your elders."

"Like _you_ respected Master Yoda." She scoffs, waiting for him to make the first move.

He has a point. Fighting techniques are usually passed from Master to Padawan, and whilst Dooku is four generations her senior, he can probably predict her moves.

Time to be unpredictable.

Ahsoka changes her grip to Shein- her preferred hold before her arm was paralysed. It’s slightly awkward with the duo-lightsaber, but it’s also a rarity, which means Dooku will have more trouble keeping up.

The velocity of her swings increases, even though she’s tiring faster and faster. Dooku forms a scowl as he has to defend himself against her vicious attacks.

She knocks him down with a kick, the Sith clutching his stomach as he drops to his knees. His lightsaber rolls away, tapping against the floor until it hits the wall.

_Good work, young one. You are finally letting the darkness reveal your omnipotence._

She levels her blade at his throat, “You’re beaten.”

“Look at you.” She presses her blad forwards when he dares to speak, the tip nearly touching his nose. “So obsessed with revenge you can’t even feel the Darkside looming over you. What a sight to see such a prestigious Jedi falling so far.”

“I am _not_ falling.” She emphasises, flipping her lightsaber so the second blade is now at the side of his neck, ready to end this once and for all.

He smirks, unfazed by how close he is to death, “You’re shaking. I don’t think you can kill me, young one.”

“I _can_!”

She can.

All she has to do is tilt the blade to cut through the crucial arteries in his neck. It’ll take less than a second and this blasted war will be over.

_You can, young one, or you can join him?_

Ahsoka glances at her fist clenching around her lightsaber hilt. Her veins are black- just like on Mortis when the Son was controlling her.

“Then why haven’t you?”

She swallows, knees threatening to buckle. Her blood runs like ice, but it burns so bad. She’s certain her irises are yellow.

She can kill Dooku and end this. She _has_ to.

_Do not fall to the darkness, young one._

Ahsoka’s breath hitches.

_I did not save you so you would fall to my Brother’s temptations._

Her hand trembles as she lowers her lightsabers, the black lace across her skin retreating as she pushes the darkness away, expelling it into the Force.

Dooku raises an eyebrow in surprise. “You rejected the Darkside?”

“Leave Onderon, and never come back.” She threatens lowly, ignoring his question. “I may not be so merciful next time.”

* * *

Rex watches Ahsoka enter the rebel base.

He's glad she's alive and not sporting any major injuries.

He can't say the same about the body she's hoisting over her shoulders.

Steela and Saw freeze, so Rex is the only one to rush forwards and lift Lux's limp body off Ahsoka's fragile shoulders.

The weight of a dead body is something he's grown accustomed to.

"Dooku?" He asks Ahsoka quietly as they lay Lux on the ground.

"He managed to flee." She replies quickly, avoiding his eyes.

He won’t press.

"Let's move him into one of the back rooms." Rex says, nodding at Lux and trying not to stare at the lightsaber hole in his chest.

The Senator was only a year older than his Commander.

They leave Steela and Saw to mourn Bonteri. Ahsoka says she’s fine, but she’s shaking, and Rex doesn’t want to take any chances.

“Is that the fourth time I’ve nearly lost you in the past month?” He asks as he applies a slave to the mark around her neck. The rebel base is in darkness beside the small lantern between the Captain and Commander.

“I seem to have been falling a lot.” Ahsoka says, her eyes bright. He doesn’t say anything about the silver streaks on her cheeks. “But I haven’t fallen completely.”

He presses his lips into a thin line.

Fallen Jedi is a touchy subject for his Commander. She’s always been afraid of losing her way and becoming someone like Dooku or Ventress.

Rex thinks it’s impossible for someone so good to become so bad.

“You know I’d be there to catch you if you did.”

His words evaporate into the cold air, and Ahsoka says nothing in response.

He’ll be glad to return to Coruscant.


	23. Chapter 23

"Ready to go, Snips?" Anakin asks lowly, glancing at his not-so-young Padawan.

She nods, her gaze heavy on the open casket on the other side of the room.

Anakin looks at Rex with despair. The Captain returns his own grim expression.

Since he landed on Onderon to take them home, Ahsoka hasn't said a word. She didn't even speak during the wake when she could have said her final goodbyes to Lux.

Her quietness isn't a good sign.

"Go to the ship," he tells Rex, "I'll meet you there in ten."

"Yes, sir." The clone leaves hesitantly- his worry for Ahsoka clear.

Anakin swoops an arm around Ahsoka's shoulders, subtly forcing her to sit on the bench behind them. She obeys without complaint- heightening his worry.

"Can I ask what's on your mind?" He asks, not knowing where her boundaries lie.

"That dead body over there."

Her tone is blunt from years of making humourless jokes about death with himself and the 501st boys. Sometimes, humour is the best way to get through a tough time.

"I'm sorry, Ahsoka." What else can he say besides that? "I know you cared about him."

They float into silence again. Anakin doesn’t know how he can help. After he lost his mother, there was nobody to help him sift through the emotions that come with the death of a loved one. He wishes he could help her, but he just doesn’t know how to.

"Lux knew Dooku was going to kill him." She says after a while, and then she scoffs lightly, "To be honest, I think he _wanted_ Dooku to kill him."

Anakin frowns, "What makes you say that?"

She shrugs, her left arm completely refusing the movement. "Rex and I knew the Council would become more involved if Dooku killed me. Lux was smart enough to figure out that the death of a Senator would also cause some uproar."

Anakin goes quiet, mulling over her words.

The thought of Ahsoka fighting Dooku terrified him. Had the Sith Lord even _scratched_ his Padawan, Anakin would've been on his way to Onderon in a heartbeat- screw the Council's wishes.

If a _Senator_ had died at Dooku's hand, he doubts the Chancellor would let that slide. The Council would've sent a Knight to deal with the Sith if Dooku hadn't fled the system.

Ahsoka leans her head against his shoulder, her montral nearly poking him in the cheek. She sighs heavily, "I should've killed him, shouldn't I?"

"I would've."

Ahsoka tenses.

"But _I'm_ not _you_ , Ahsoka."

There's a beat of silence, then, "What do you mean?"

It's his turn to sigh.

"I rarely regret killing bad people." He admits, "If I had Dooku unarmed and vulnerable, I would've killed him, but your morals are purer than mine, Snips. You followed your heart and refused to give in to your emotions. _That's_ what I was trying to teach you a few days ago."

He strokes her left shoulder, not knowing if she can feel him. Ahsoka responds across their bond with a pulse of appreciation. She may not feel the texture of his glove, but she can feel appreciate the gesture.

"You did what you had to do in order to avoid falling to the Darkside, Ahsoka." He whispers against her montral, "Dooku couldn't stop himself falling, but _you_ did, so who's stronger?"

"The Light is stronger, Master." She murmurs.

" _You're_ stronger." He emphasises. "You're one of the strongest people I know."

* * *

Ahsoka lets Anakin comfort her through their bond for a while longer. She knows the sooner she leaves Onderon, the faster she'll get over her grief, but she's content to sit with her Master in this room of mourning.

She ought to feel empty after losing Lux, and she does feel like a part of her heart has broken, but she's also overwhelmed with relief.

She was moments away from falling from the Light, and she didn't.

"Come on, Anakin." She slides out from under his arm and stands up, purposefully turning her back to the front of the room where Lux lies. "Let's go home."

He takes her hand, "Good idea, Snips."

They go to leave the room, coming face to face with Steela.

Ahsoka meets the woman's eyes, noticing the tear stains on her cheeks, "You get a head start, Master; I'm right behind you."

He pats her on the shoulder before walking towards the landing platform, leaving her and Steela.

The woman’s wearing black- the only colour on her body being a gold ring, sitting between her collarbones on a small chain.

Ahsoka smiles, nodding at it, “That belonged to Lux’s father.”

Steela reaches up to touch it, “I know.”

Ahsoka doesn’t know much about the piece of jewellery- she only knows what Lux has told her. It was his father’s wedding ring, and after he died, his mother carried it. On Carlac, Lux wore it, and now, it appears to be in Steela’s possession.

“Lux loved you.”

They both say it at the same time, and each girl widens their eyes.

“No, no,” Ahsoka raises a hand, shaking off her shock, “He loved you, Steela. He wanted me to tell you.”

“When he came to Onderon, he wouldn’t stop talking about you.” Steela says.

Ahsoka shrugs, “I know I meant something to him, but not like you did. I wish you two could’ve had a happier ending.” She sighs, searching for a change in subject, “What’s going to happen to Onderon now?”

Rash has already been arrested and sent to Coruscant for trial. King Dendup is due to be reinstated, but apart from that, nothing else has been revealed.

“King Dendup has put me in charge of the Royal Army.” Steela says, smiling a little.

“That’s amazing,” Ahsoka grins, genuinely happy for her, “You’re the best person for the job.”

“It’s going to be a big change,” Steela takes a deep breath, “We don’t have a Senator.”

They used to.

Ahsoka tries to keep smiling, “I’m sure you’ll figure something out, even if there are some big boots to fill.” She pauses, “Is Onderon going to join the Republic?”

Steela manages a grin, “After everything _you_ went through to save our shebs, we ought to.” Ahsoka chuckles whilst the woman pins her with a serious look. “I owe you my life, Ahsoka, and so does everyone here on Onderon.”

Then, to her surprise, she’s pulled into a tight embrace.

Ahsoka’s shocked speechless as Steela squeezes her ribs, her hair brushing the side of her face as she whispers against her montrals, “Thank you for fighting for our freedom.”

Ahsoka’s breath is shaky as she hugs Steela back, "Freedom is _always_ worth fighting for, and so is love."

* * *

Usually, Anakin laughs Ahsoka through medical appointments. Whether it's post-battle check-ups on the _Resolute_ or vaccinations at the Temple, he always has some jokes up his sleeve to make it less of a chore.

Now though, he doesn't feel like having a laugh. He's silent, standing at the foot of the bed as he watches Master Che examine Ahsoka's arm. From his position, he can see how well the bacta has worked on her shoulder to heal the blaster wound.

He wishes bacta would work on the rest of her arm.

His jaw clenches when Ahsoka doesn't react to the needle which Master Che pricks her fingertips and palm with. The first time she got paralysis, she could still feel in her arm- the movement was just a struggle. Now, she's lost all sensation from her bicep to her fingertips.

Master Che straightens with a sigh, "I don't think the steroid treatment is going to make a difference."

He and Ahsoka both knew that before they got back to Coruscant.

Ahsoka clears her throat, "What's the other option?"

Master Che turns her gaze to Anakin, "We have two choices: electric shock therapy to try to stimulate the nerves, or amputation."

Right from the beginning, Anakin knew Ahsoka might lose her arm, but the word leaving Master Che's mouth makes him want to curl around Ahsoka in a ball and shield her from all of this.

Subconsciously, he touches his own cybernetic arm. Ahsoka notices the subtle movement and sighs, "Master?"

"It's your call." He replies, letting his metal hand fall to his side, "I'll be beside you either way."

Ahsoka's lips flick upwards in a smile as she pulses gratitude across their bond. He responds with a wave of love.

"Padawan," Master Che says softly, catching the girl's gaze, "What do you want to do?"

Anakin thinks it's the first time the Healer has given Ahsoka any choice about her treatment.

"I don't want to do this anymore." Ahsoka touches her paralysed arm tenderly, "I need to get on with my life. We have a war to win, and I don’t want to spend any more time off the field.”

Master Che nods, understanding. "We can do the procedure this evening."

She shifts to leave, but something stops her, and the Healer hesitantly rests a hand on Ahsoka's shoulder, "You've very brave, young one. Not many Jedi expect to face Dooku and survive.”

"Thanks," Ahsoka whispers, and Anakin can hear the crack in her voice.

The Doctor pauses again as she's about to step past Anakin, and her voice goes low, "Ahsoka's lucky to have you as her Master, Skywalker."

The note of approval makes his chest warm up.

"We couldn't have had a better Healer, Master Che." Anakin says, bowing respectfully. She may be blunt and somewhat harsh, but Vokara is the best of the best, and she's truly dedicated herself to helping Ahsoka.

After she leaves, Anakin goes to stand in front of Ahsoka and takes her shoulders, bringing her towards his chest. She wraps her working arm around his waist, squeezing tightly, "Am I making the right choice, Master?"

"Yes," he replies, resting his chin in the valley between her montrals. "You've been through enough, Snips; it's alright to put an end to it."

He hears her shudder into his chest, "I wish this mess didn't happen."

"Me too," he agrees with her, "but if it didn't, we wouldn't be as strong as we are today."

He pulls back and takes her chin in his fingers, "We'll finally be twinning."

She chokes out a laugh, wiping her eyes dry. "At last, I'll be just like my icon." He wipes her tears off her cheeks with his fingers, "Will I be okay... if you ever leave?"

"I think you will be," he assures her, "but I'm not going anywhere, Snips. I promise."

“Ahsoka,” they both turn to Obi-Wan who’s stood in the entrance to the room, “Welcome back.”

“Thanks, Master Kenobi.” Ahsoka flashes him a smile. “I’m glad to be home.”

“I’m sorry about Lux.” Her Grandmaster says, lingering in the doorway without coming closer. “I truly am.”

“It’s okay,” Ahsoka says, her voice watery. Anakin rubs her functioning arm, spreading warmth across their bond. He doesn’t want her to feel ashamed about her grief like he was after he lost his mom.

“Before the procedure tonight,” Obi-Wan’s eyes meet Anakin’s, and the Knight can see the flicker of happiness in his former Master’s expression, “the Council would like to see you both.”

Ahsoka looks at Anakin nervously, “I already gave them my report.”

“I know.” Anakin tries to keep the smile off his lips, “Let’s go and see what they want.”

* * *

Ahsoka feels butterflies in her stomach as she steps into the Council Chamber behind Anakin and Obi-Wan. She notices that the entire Council is in attendance- _physical_ attendance- and her nerves go into overdrive.

“Master,” she hisses at Anakin, “what’s this about?”

“Chill, Snips.” He smirks over his shoulder at her before turning back to the Council.

“Welcome back, Padawan Tano.” Master Yoda greets, and Ahsoka bows quickly before she forgets to. Her anxiety is skyrocketing, and the Force is whispering around her, excitement filling the air from the Council.

She presses on her bond with Anakin, feeling nothing but pride.

“Congratulations for your success on Onderon,” Windu says, and she can’t believe he’s praising her for once. “Without your bravery and determination, those people would still be under the ruthless control of the Separatists.”

Obi-Wan clears his throat from where he’s sat in his chair, “We heard from Intelligence that Dooku was planning to use Onderon as a central point of Separatist command. He was going to enslave the people and exploit their resources. You’ve saved a lot more lives than you think you have, Ahsoka.”

Her heart thuds in her chest; she couldn’t save Lux.

“We were thoroughly impressed by the way you handled the mission in your condition.” Master Plo praises, and Ahsoka feels nothing but love pounding across their ancient bond.

“The Council is also aware that you ultimately resisted the Darkside whilst in the presence of a Sith Lord.” Master Luminara says, “That alone, Ahsoka, is a feat worth celebrating.”

“You’ve faced so many obstacles over the past few months, young one. All the while, you have held no resentment towards those who have wronged you.” Shaak Ti glances around the other Masters, “That is the quality of a Jedi Knight. We have concluded that this must have been your Great Trial.”

Her breath hitches in her throat, and Ahsoka shoots Anakin a look. He only smirks, stepping away from the centre of the room so she’s left there on her own.

This _can’t_ be happening…

Master Yoda stands from his chair, taking the lightsaber from his belt, “Kneel, young one.”

Oh Force, this is happening.

She looks back at Anakin, and he nods his head. “It’s time to finish your Apprenticeship, Ahsoka. You’ve proved yourself.”

She lowers Skipper beneath her, taking a knee. Her breaths are shaky, and she isn’t sure if she should cry, but she feels like it.

Master Yoda comes to stand before her, smiling gently. “A fine Knight you shall be, Ahsoka.”

Ahsoka bows her head, “Thank you, Master.”

She keeps her head down as the lightsaber is ignited. It hovers near her shoulder; she can feel its heat on her skin.

“By the right of the Council.”

It’s moved to the other side, just beside her silka bead Padawan braid. She tore it off on Naboo, and now it’s going to be cut off by the Grand Master of the Jedi Order in one of the most sacred ceremonies a Jedi can participate in.

“By the will of the Force.”

The lightsaber whips upwards, and she hears a hiss as the braid is severed from her headdress.

A mixture of emotions swim through her as the braid tumbles to the floor, a handful of coloured beads spilling across the marble.

“Rise, Ahsoka Tano; Jedi Knight.”


End file.
